The 12 mile ruck is a popular functional fitness assessment because it's a required test to pass Army special operations selection. Wannabe Army Rangers and Green Berets must excel at rucking in order to complete the grueling training and join the elite ranks of Army special operations.
In Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP), candidates must complete a 12 mile ruck in less than three hours (15 minutes per mile). Their rucks will weigh over 35 LBS. The demands of special operations selection programs make even the toughest candidates struggle to meet the standard.
It's a serious military litmus test to separate those who do have what it takes from those who don't.
Do you have what it takes?
Table of Contents: Jump Ahead
Why a 12 mile ruck?
Whether you're preparing for Army SF selection or just want to have elite functional fitness, the 12 mile ruck should be on your list. In the Army, the 12 mile ruck march standard is 3 hours, which will challenge even experienced ruckers.
Rucking 12 miles makes sense for military training. In combat theatres, soldiers might be expected to walk many miles over rough terrain to assault a target, gather intelligence, or patrol. Overseas, soldiers will spend hours on their feet with heavy rucksacks.
In hostile environments, everyone has to keep up and be prepared to fight. So the 12 mile ruck is an early test to weed out those who won't keep up, those who lose their fight when they're fatigued.
And like most military training, rucking long distances equals elite functional fitness.
So it's the perfect challenge (or goal) for civilians looking to get good at life. When you're strong, have good endurance, and can carry heavy things, life is a little smoother.
To ruck 12 miles, you've got to be strong. Your cardio has to be solid (especially if you're hitting the 3 hours standard). And you've got the be able to carry a heavy load. You'd better be mentally tough, too.
If it's a good enough test for America's toughest soldiers, it's a good enough goal for everyone else.
Ready to aim high and ruck 12 miles?
Why you should tackle the 12 mile ruck march
- In training for the 12 mile ruck, you'll develop strength and endurance that equates to high level functional fitness. If you can ruck 12 miles, you can do a lot of other hard things, too.
- The 12 mile ruck is a huge mental challenge (like Murph or 75 Hard) that will give you an edge in life.
- Outdoor exercise floods your brain with positivity chemicals. Combine sweat and sunshine more often.
Preparing for the 12 mile ruck
If you're considering a 12 mile ruck, you've probably been rucking awhile. If you haven't, you'll need some more miles under your belt before tackling this challenge (and maybe read our beginner's rucking guide).
How many rucks does it take to prepare for a 12 miler?
There's no perfect formula. This fitness test is as much about mental toughness as it is physical ability.
But it's a distance you should build up to slowly.
For many people, training for a 12 mile ruck is like training for a marathon: you'll be on your feet for hours covering a lot of ground. It's not going to be easy. You shouldn't wake up and decide to run a marathon one day, and the same goes for a 12 mile (3-4+ hours) ruck.
In other words, don't try a 12 mile ruck your first week or month of rucking. Rucking is an endurance activity that requires gradual progression (like running). If you ruck too much, too fast, you risk injury.
Nobody wants to sit on the sidelines, so build up to 12 miles slowly.
Here's how you can prepare safely and avoid injury...
1. Volume
Let's assume you've been rucking for awhile, a few months at least (if you're a beginner, start here).
Maybe by now you're rucking 10 miles per week, spread over a few days. If you're rucking 10+ miles per week, you've probably upgraded your rucksack and you're wearing supportive rucking boots. Now you need to increase your volume.
Well, don't increase your weekly rucking volume by more than 10-20% each week. And try to keep your longest ruck under 50% of your total weekly volume. These aren't firm rules, but they do help you stay healthy and avoid injury.
Your longest ruck before your 12 mile challenge should be 8-10 miles. You don't need to train with a longer ruck march than that. 8 miles will give you the time under your rucksack to dial in your hydration, nutrition, and gear setup. After 8-10 miles, your body will be familiar with a multi hour ruck, too. That's important.
After you've got a couple 8 mile rucks under your belt, you're ready to tackle the U.S. Army 12 mile standard ruck march.
2. Weight
Don't ruck with more than 1/3 of your bodyweight very often, if at all. Army Ranger candidates perform the 12 mile ruck test with a 35+ LBS rucksack. A 30 or 40 LBS Ruck Plate® will do the trick for your preparation.
Just like you level up slowly on distance, level up slowly on weight. 20 LBS might be a more appropriate weight for you to start training, or for your 12 mile challenge. But Rangers and Green Berets routinely perform long rucks with more than 35 LBS.
3. Cross training
Rucking is a full body exercise, so overall fitness drastically improves rucking performance. Your legs, back, shoulders, and core will all be tested on a long ruck. Your heart and lungs (AKA cardio), too. Training with sand and performing ruck PT will give you a big advantage on a 3+ hour long ruck march.
If you're comfortable throwing around an 80 LBS Sand Medicine Ball, you're not going to feel the weight of your rucksack so quickly.
Special Operations Prep:
If you're preparing for RASP or SFAS, put sandbags, rucking, or PT on your calendar every single day. Get familiar lifting and moving irregular objects (sandbags), hauling heavy gear (rucking), and bodyweight exercises (PT). Keep it simple, keep it challenging.
How to ruck 12 miles
Alright, you've got a couple 8-10 mile rucks under your belt, you're healthy, and you want to know if you can stand up to the U.S. Army standard. Good for you. Hopefully you're already wearing good rucking footwear (men's | women's) and blister resistant merino socks.
Here's some other gear you'll want for a multi hour rucking challenge...
- Purpose-built rucksack designed by Special Forces veterans.
- Hydration bladder and reusable water bottle.
- Cool ruck patch.
12 mile ruck time
How long should it take to ruck 12 miles?
Special operations candidates have 3 hours to complete their rucks. That equals 15 minutes per mile. 15 minutes per mile might feel easy on a 2-3 mile ruck, but can you maintain that pace for 3 hours?
Maybe.
But you may want to plan for up to 4 hours. That's 20 minutes per mile, a normal walking pace for most people. If you've been training for awhile and want to aim for 3 hours, go for it. Bragging rights and a good feeling in your chest are there for the taking.
Can I run with a rucksack?
When you ruck faster, it doesn't really turn into a "run." There's too much weight for that. It's more of a "ruck shuffle." You're leaning forward, your cadence is quick, and it feels like a trot. If you find yourself running while wearing a rucksack, you should probably slow down. Not only are you going to burn out quickly, but you're risking injury.
Rucking is walking with weight, but you might challenge yourself and pick up the pace with the ruck shuffle. Running, though, shouldn't be a weighted exercise.
Special Operations Prep:
Army Ranger and Green Beret candidates need to be able to hit 2.5 hour 12 mile rucks. You'll need that margin for fatigue and extra weight. If your goal is to serve in these elite units, don't settle for 3 hours. This turns into a trot, or "ruck shuffle," and will turn up the cardio. Strength and cardio are both important in special operations.
In the military, there will be times when you run and sprint with a weighted rucksack (and body armor). Get used to being uncomfortable while carrying weight, and moving well with heavy equipment. Sandbags and rucksacks make great training tools.
Choose your terrain
You've got your gear and your time goal. Now you've got to decide where to do your ruck. Do your 12 mile ruck wherever you want, but be mindful of steep, hilly terrain. You'll need more time if you opt for rugged trails and lots of elevation change.
The ideal terrain for a 12 mile ruck is whatever you've got. Pavement or gravel will best simulate the Army standard assessment, but trail junkies might enjoy the extra challenge of roots, rocks, and dirt.
Don't overthink it, but try and choose terrain that allows you to get into a cadence of steps and breaths. A solid cadence will help you keep your pace consistent and hit your time goal.
No matter where you choose to do your 12 miler, it won't be easy. Count on that.
Dial your gear in
You already know you'll need good socks and footwear, a sturdy rucksack, and hydration. But a sternum strap and padded hip belt will make your ruck more comfortable, too. Don't worry, you'll still be working hard.
A sternum strap secures your ruck (especially useful for PT and long ruck marches) and distributes the weight differently across your chest and shoulders. When you want to shift the weight slightly, tighten or loosen the strap.
A padded hip belt will transfer more of the weight from your back and shoulders to your hips, which is a huge relief on a long ruck. When you want to give your upper body a break, tighten the hip belt and slightly loosen your shoulder straps. Ahh, instant relief.
All of these things (hydration, accessories, footwear) need to be dialed in on shorter rucks--think less than 60 minutes. That's where we make adjustments, take mental notes, and prepare for the longer workouts. You don't want to be adjusting your setup (or wondering if you brought enough water) when you're far from home.
Hydration and nutrition
Obviously you need a hydration bladder (and maybe a backup water bottle, too). Make sure you hydrate hours before your ruck. Remember, rucking 12 miles is like running a marathon: it's a serious athletic challenge that is not to be underestimated.
Sip water regularly throughout your ruck (you may want to plan a route with bathroom stops--4 hours is a long time). Bring ready-to-eat snacks like granola bars and energy gels in your ruck and try to consume some calories every 45-60 minutes.
One step at a time
Don't be intimidated by the 12 mile ruck. It's a worthwhile challenge because it's the standard for elite operators. Rucking long distances is difficult, but that's the point. Put a good audiobook on, keep your cadence consistent, and take it one step at a time.
You'll be a stronger, more capable person after your first 12 mile ruck.
What's next?
Should you go longer than a 12 mile ruck?
Yes, you should go longer than a 12 mile ruck. But maybe not yet. Take some time and recover. Set another goal, but don't aim for it next week. Maybe you try adding a 10 LBS Sand Ruck Plate to your pack and knocking 10 minutes off your time.
You can increase the challenge without going farther: more weight, less time, Sand Kettlebell swings along the way. However you like to suffer, adjust your 12 mile ruck to make it more challenging. Get creative.
The GORUCK Challenge might be next up for you. There are 4 different challenges to suit different fitness levels. If you've got a 12 mile ruck under your belt, you'll be an asset to your team. You might get hooked on these events, too.
Lastly, bring a friend with you and slow down (or speed up if they're that kind of friend). Rucking is always better with other people (that's why we've got Tribe 'n Training), and accomplishing goals always feels better when you've got someone to high five at the end.
