MVT Rifleman challenge

[Lowdown3]

I missed this in March, I think I'm gonna go up for it next month, baring any unexpected things coming up. Been a helluva year...

But I'm training for it anyways-

http://www.maxvelocitytactical.com/tactical-training/mvt-rifleman-challenge/

Even if something does come up and I can't go, the practice for the event is worth it.

Got my 2 miler down to as low as 19:50, with it averaging about 20:30 to a high of over 21 minutes the other day at 98 degrees.

Worked the shooting test yesterday. Practiced six rotations, each one beginning with a 50 yard run, some uphill then back to the 50 yard point put on earmuffs and shot the start on the shot timer.

Each rotation was 50 rounds rifle and 10 rounds pistol. Times were good, under what is necessary. If anything I need to slow down, one of the 50 yard rotations was 14.4 seconds for the 10 kneeling and 10 prone. I gotta cut the grass on the range, could barely see the target prone.

His land navigation course is a little tricky, least it was for me in June. A lot of topography I'm frankly not used to- reading the contours on map and relating to the ground features. LOTS of ground features up there!

[Dennis W]

Are those times slick or with the hole load out? In this heat I'm doing good to get around 27:00 with the load and 25 without. Either way those are some good times. Jen & I are both going.

[tarheelsman71]

My thoughts exactly LD3. I see his event and that is what I train for. At 44, I am running 8 minute miles with nothing on and with equipment (on my torn meniscus) I can still scoot in at around 22 minutes. Only 6 minutes slower so I am pretty good with that. I look around the Food Lion, because we are always supposed to be checking out our surroundings, I would have to say that am probably in the top 15% physically (maybe higher) in my area. I am part of a workout group in my area for men and we get all types that or conditioning levels. For instance, a friend of a friend, decided to show up and he is my age 44, size 5' 10' 205, but within 4 minutes my 8 year old, that does the warmup, had him wanting to puke. We had done 15 jumping jacks, 5 airsquats, 15 Mountain Climbers, 5 Airsquats, 15 Crunches, 5 Airsquats .... and he was about to puke. We still had 56 more minutes or High Intensity Interval Training to get to and this dude was thru. America is gonna be in trouble if a foreign army ever decides to attack us on our own soil, because there wont be much fight in a lot of these dogs that profess to be tactically proficient. If you can reload a magazine in a millisecond, but get exhausted when you have pick the milk up to reach the ketchup behind it, you might need to do a little PT. :) If you are located in the southwest, look into F3Nation.com. Awesome resource for some free workouts in your area. Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith is what it stands for, and truly it is a great workout.

http://f3nation.com/where-is-f3/

[Lowdown3]

Are those times slick or with the hole load out? In this heat I'm doing good to get around 27:00 with the load and 25 without. Either way those are some good times. Jen & I are both going.

You mean on the two miler? Carrying the 30 lb. pack and rifle. Very little hills though. Today I'm gonna go out later and just do big S curves up and down what hills we have around here.

I believe the new route is from the parking lot up to around the school house. That first hill, with the immediate left hand turn that always make you think the Ranger is gonna flip will likely be the hardest. That's gotta be a 30% grade or more don't you think? None of the hills are going to be pretty for us flatlanders.

The 2 miles I did here with the 30 lb. ruck that was under 20 minutes was probably 70% shuffle running. I can run a mile under 8 but you don't want to do that big of a stride with a pack on. I try to get that through to my younger training partner who doesn't understand why he can beat Dad in a 1 mile run but drags 7 minutes behind on the 2 miler with ruck. Short strides but more of them, back straight, all that helps me.

[Dennis W]

BTW, I was serious about that offer I made about the Flyers.

[Lowdown3]

Closest place that makes relatively cheap color flyers is about an hour away. I won't be able to do that for a week to ten days. Him and I talked about that back in June.

[Lowdown3]

It was only in the mid 90's this afternoon when I did my 2 miler. Felt like I jogged more and moved faster on the uphill slopes but still am averaging 20:30 to 20:45 for the 2 mile with the 30lb. ruck and rifle. Been doing more squats with kettlebells and running on tread mill at gym with the incline set on highest setting.

The lack of serious hills to train on is definitely hampering me from knowing how close to the time I'll make it up there.

The reflexive targets came in before I left and got a few rotations in on them. Size is almost the size as the jury rigged versions I made with the IPSC targets. Gonna work that more this weekend.

How you coming with things Dennis?

[protus]

Good job.!!
Not good enough to attempt a torture test like that with my issue. But have started trying 2 Milers with gear in the woods. Finally said "screw it " and put on my UW gear four cell ( 4*47mags loaded 2xmed pouches - 1xizzy and CAT in each) and a hydration pack with 2 liters and mini kit (keys phone as well) .
Times weren't great 23 min with 2 dog stops (she runs with me) .
Pre injury times were 9 min miles.

Trying to get back into it.

Great job on the times LD.
On your hill issue. Look for some loop trails...near your AO. Even.if you run em with just the pack.
I've bees doing trail runs...world of difference between street or road shoulder running. What I do now.
Or find some bleachers and go.old school.

Sorry for derail...but its kinda a motivation to see folks doing it...
Ill be trying it again this weekend ....!

[Dennis W]

I'm still hanging in there. I average between 26-29 min. Back in March, April I was down to about 24min, before it got really hot and humid here. I'm hoping for some cooler weather up there.

[Lowdown3]

I'm still hanging in there. I average between 26-29 min. Back in March, April I was down to about 24min, before it got really hot and humid here. I'm hoping for some cooler weather up there.

I definitely believe that high 70's, low 80's probably is way better than high 90's and low 100's for training temps.

We don't run air at our gym. We get people come in from other gyms that are all cushy with the AC and they don't have nearly the stamina we do.

It's gotta figure for something- I hope ;)

[Dennis W]

I got started late today, it was 77 deg and 95% when I got up. By the time I got going it was 87 deg and 85%. Did the 2 mile in 29:21 (a few days ago I did a 24:10 without a pack), then I did 2.7 mile on the bike on our uneven dirt road. The bike I think really helps. When I first started with the bike my knees and outer thighs were burning just like on the hills at Max's, not so much now.

[Lowdown3]

Did kettlebell squats and leg lifts tonight, tomorrow I'll go to the gym and then later in the day do the 2 miler again and immediately transition into the shooting course right afterwards.

Baring any injuries I think I will be ready for this. Trying to remember the topography on the new route- I should have taken the time to hike it in June when I was last up there.

[Lowdown3]

Ran a different route yesterday, less topography but more obstacles and rougher ground. It was also more wooded.

Doing this at 2:30 in the afternoon made me realize the probably 10 degree temperature difference in the shaded woods versus out in the open where I normally do this. That probably brought it down to about 90 in the shade :) Finished the 2 miler right at the range and immediately dropped ruck and went into the shooting drills without getting water.

I hadn't previously noticed the "10 rounds in each magazine" deal, so I set up my mags that way this time. The mag change does add a second or two to the overall time.

Ran the shooting drills five times, the best target had 3 rotations (180 rounds) on it and about 6 drops (outside white zone).

Dennis- I bought 100 of those reflexive targets, if you want I can mail you some down for practice if you can't find those targets. Let me know via email if you need some.

[Dennis W]

The sun really does make a difference. My normal route is about half in the open. Sometimes when I get started late or it's really hot, I run a different route up and down through the woods.
I'm good with targets, I have a bunch of those ones in the photo that I just spray a little paint on. Could also do it on plain paper or cardboard backers. When ever we get something in a big box, I cut them up to us for backers too. I have been called cheap (frugal) before.
Looking at the calendar, I only have about 6 or 7 more practice run / ruck days left.

[Lowdown3]

Just had time for three rotations yesterday after the run.

Experimenting with time differences between starting the shooting drill with prone position or kneeling. Advantages and disadvantages to each.

Learning how much time 40 seconds really is- I slipped and busted my butt on the run in one time and then fumbled a mag change and still came in at 39 seconds via the shot timer.

I guess I'll have to clean the AK next week :)

Going over the land nav notes from June and going to get out and run some azimuths here. Topography is a world different but going to try to do some terrain association in there also.

Just like anything else we know is coming, we have to prepare for it.