Marathon Training as an Infantry Officer?

[RunForrest]

Hi everyone,

I am an amateur runner trying to figure out if I can realistically train for races as an infantry officer. I currently train about 90-120km a week, with about a 25%/75% split between hard and easy miles, respectively.

Specific Questions:

• What does daily PT consist of, and is there any way running could be incorporated into it?
• How physically taxing is the rest of an officer's day?
• How many weeks/months a year are spent on field exercises?
• How close are field exercises grouped together, and how far in advance are they scheduled?
• How much time does a new officer spend on courses/training before they are posted to their unit?

Basically, I want to know whether it's feasible to train for ~1-1.5hrs/day for most of the year, on top of everything else.

Thanks very much for any insight you can provide.

 

[AmmoTech90]

There will be times you can and times you can't.

There is often running in PT, usually as a group.

When you are in garrison, normal day hours 7 to 430, maybe 8 if you are an officer looking after a platoon, you still have 10 to 16 hours. Do what you want during this time.

Lots of people in the CAF do marathons. It comes down to your priorities.

As an young infantry officer you should be fit enough to just get off the couch and do a half without any significant training. I did one as a mid-40s loggie and my longest training run was 13 km. Fitness become ingrained, or it should.

 

[dapaterson]

I know one officer who did this race: 6633 Arctic Ultra - Toughest, Coldest & Windiest Race

 

[daftandbarmy]

Hi everyone,

I am an amateur runner trying to figure out if I can realistically train for races as an infantry officer. I currently train about 90-120km a week, with about a 25%/75% split between hard and easy miles, respectively.

Specific Questions:

• What does daily PT consist of, and is there any way running could be incorporated into it?
• How physically taxing is the rest of an officer's day?
• How many weeks/months a year are spent on field exercises?
• How close are field exercises grouped together, and how far in advance are they scheduled?
• How much time does a new officer spend on courses/training before they are posted to their unit?

Basically, I want to know whether it's feasible to train for ~1-1.5hrs/day for most of the year, on top of everything else.

Thanks very much for any insight you can provide.

Yes, it is very possible.

If you get up early enough you can usually train for anything like, you know, Special Forces selection etc. Usually your weekends and leave periods are your own too, so do with them as you will.

However, if you're a bit of a 'Princess' about the whole thing, that absolutely has to stick to your iron clad diet/sleep/hydration/cold plunging/exercise routine, you can forget it. You've got to train when you can and build some 'character' about the whole thing.

I not-so-fondly recall finishing a grueling 3 week field exercise and then going for a 20 mile run with one of my NCOs the next day. I wasn't thinking about my Personal Best, just keeping the miles going so I could put in a decent performance the next month.

I also recall one famously committed runner, again one of my NCOs, who ran a marathon around the perimeter of our (small) security forces base on an operational tour. I think he did 100 + laps. He was listing to port and kind of wobbly when he finished

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Specific Questions:

What does daily PT consist of, and is there any way running could be incorporated into it?

During your initial training, daily PT is extremely regimented. You'll do circuits, ruck marches, runs, obstacle courses, etc. You'll do a lot of group PT, etc. That said, when you have free time You'll be able to do your own fitness. You'll have more free time the further you go in your career.

How physically taxing is the rest of an officer's day?

Depends on the day.

How many weeks/months a year are spent on field exercises?

All depends on your Op Tempo. It can vary from not very much to months of intense exercises/operations

How close are field exercises grouped together, and how far in advance are they scheduled?

Again depends entirely what you're doing.

How much time does a new officer spend on courses/training before they are posted to their unit?

Generally it takes 1.5-2 years to train an Officer from Basic to Qualified. You also do lots of courses once you arrive at your unit.

Basically, I want to know whether it's feasible to train for ~1-1.5hrs/day for most of the year, on top of everything else.

It can be feasible at times. Other times not so much.

I was a big time runner when I first became an Inf O, then I had to carry 100lbs of gear and I decided I should probably pack on muscle and bulk up. You need to be a jack of all trades as an Infantry O tbh.

Run a reasonable 5k, do 40+ push-ups, 12+ chinups/pull-ups, Bench 2x plates each side, etc.

Having some muscle and physical strength will help prevent injuries. You'll thank me when you need to carry a crew served weapon.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

To add to the above, you could ask 10 different people and you'd get 10 different experiences. Some people join up and have pretty routine experiences. Other people just end up getting force fed a fire hose and do everything under the sun. No career is the same.