Well im just starting my third week here at Saint-jean of BMQ. I can tell you a bit about the running. Like someone else said, they will issue you a pair of runners regardless of what you bring, for myself I found them to be clunky and poor for running. But whatever works right?
As for PT kit, you get issue two pairs of shorts, 4 pairs of pt t-shirts, 1 pt long shirt/pant and thats it for pt kit. Depending on your staff you may or may not have to wear the issued shoes until the end of indoc (4th week). As far as my platoon was concerned (R0153E) we had hardly anything to do with physical activity the first week other then what you did with your own initiative. The first week mainly comprised of paper work, sorting out the issued kit some classes and getting used to the swing of things. The second week however is when you do both the swim test and then later the PT test. Swim test was fairly easy for me, I'm a strong swimmer but some people just weren't cut out for it. One of the guys in my Platoon failed it once and then in the 6th week of his BMQ had enough directives to get recoursed. So he ended up starting it all over again with my platoon, and a second time he failed the swimming test - just goes to show some people dont have the right stuff to pass it. As for the PT test, they had us come in warm up/stretch. Then they had us do the shuttle run - none of its timed. Though I suggest if you get a chance first to watch others do the PT test first to get the timing down pat. You have to make it to the 6th stage for guys under 20, and 10.5 for the incentive. I stopped at 11 because no one else was running - it was kind of funny because the padre came up to me afterwards and was like, "Why did you stop running? you were so good! you should have kept going!" The padre here is hilarious, the guy is the best.
This monday, the start of the 3rd week for me we have a run in the morning for 5am, and for now on 3 times a week we will be having 5am runs. And as for the indoor track, we haven't used it yet, our platoon WO ran with us for our first time the other day, and ended up shouting at us at the end of the day because only a small handful of us could keep up. I must admit, my platoon is more then out of shape, 15 people out of 58 failed the PT test. As for how long you run? well that depends mostly on your instructors pace. They tend to aim for 2.5 k's for the second week, the third they want 3 to 4k's, fifth they want 5 to 6, and eventually they want us to be running 8k's. For me, even the 8ks isn't a problem, but in my platoon there are only 6 other guys who can run that.
Few pieces of advice: 1) Always make sure your locker and kit is secured - if not you'll get a directive. 2) Always have your canteen with you - if not, you'll get a directive. 3) Whenever your going to the drill hall, bring along your rain gear - if not, you can get a directive. 4) Learn to keep your opinion to yourself at times, the first two weeks everyone in the platoon is shouting "We have to work as a team guys!" and everyones too busy trying to get everyone else to work as a team to realize that the course senior and the section seniors are the leaders. 5) Always listen to course seniors/section seniors, you'll be one at some point and you'll enjoy it a lot more if people listen to you. Not to mention, its written in the Student Standing Orders that the seniors are a part of the chain of command, and therefore they are in control in the absence of staff. Ergo, disobeying them can get you a directive. 6) See if you can get here early, like a day or so, that way you get an opportunity to go to the canex and pick up some spare equipment and any other necessities you may have forgotten. Believe me, the first week everyone will be scrambling for this that and the other thing.
What else can I say? Really there is so much its hard to write it all down here. The best thing you can do really is to give it your all. As my Mcpl keeps saying, "Put some drive in your body!"
Oh and one other word of advice, if your anglophone, be ware, 90% of the instructors here are franco and have a thick accent. Its easy to understand in class, but in the drill hall when they are hollaring out the words of command and you can't understand what it is they are saying you will find yourself unable to immediately react and perform the action required - hence you get b*tched at for it. There is a short PO here who can really lay in on you, and believe me, its not fun being on the recieving end.
Best of Luck!
