Today (I wrote this text on the 22nd of December, 2024), I was wearing 25 kg (55 lbs) of burden on my back and shoulders.
I wrote many times on the www.adammazek.com blog that I’ve been rucking since the middle of August 2024. Rucking means walking with a heavy rucksack. I broke my record by wearing 25 kg on my back and shoulders. The truth is that I broke my record one day earlier, on the 21st of December, during the shortest day in the northern hemisphere. How did I feel after taking almost 11k steps, wearing summer clothes at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit), and feeling a burden of 25 kg on my back and shoulders? I felt great once I rested. Still, while walking, I felt a tremendous burden. It was not easy to do such a walk.
But the benefits of rucking, both physical and mental, are undeniable.
It’s a challenging yet rewarding activity that has made me feel robust and resilient. Still, I knew I had enough power to complete it. Was I worried about my health? No. The only thing I was concerned about was my rucksack. I do not think it is used to handle so many additional kg. I think it is a matter of time before I have to buy a new backpack, and I think it will have to be a professional one. The best would be the one that is used by the Polish or American army.
For today, I simply feel I have the power to handle more kg. Still, I know I must make this progress slowly. There is no hurry. I prefer my body to get used to some amount of load. Only after this can I increase my weight. How happy I am that I discovered rucking for myself. Thanks to doing it, I feel robust both physically and mentally. Additionally, I can combine my other passions: street photography and exposing myself to the cold by walking in frigid temperatures in summer clothes.
