Your 6-Week Ramp to a 12-Mile Ruck

A 12-miler can feel intimidating until you know exactly how to approach it. We wanted to provide the ruck community with a simple plan to a steady 3.5-hour ruck. You'll keep the effort aerobic and finish each week feeling like you still have some gas in the tank. There is no required ruck weight here. Choose a weight that lets you move comfortably, breathe, and practice your pacing.

How this plan works

Keep the weekly structure simple so it fits real life:

One long ruck each week that grows toward 3.5 hours.
One easy ruck or walk to add a little volume and to keep your habits steady.
Short mobility most days for five to ten minutes to keep feeling great.
This plan is ideal for athletes who can currently sustain a 2 hour ruck. If you're not quite there yet, build up week-by-week, adding 15 minutes to your current longest-ruck day until you're at the 2 hour threshhold.

Pacing you can sustain

It’s a rookie move to start hot out of the gate. While it’s tempting, athletes who do burn through their energy at a much faster rate. Instead, we recommend you start almost too easy. Keep your posture tall, steps short with feet under your hips, and your cadence steady. Think sustainable. You'll want to schedule mobility work at least once each week, using a foam roller or a yoga or mobility class, to keep your joints feeling nice and fluid. Keeping your joints mobile can free up a little locked up pace, too.

Warm-up (5-8 minutes)

Before you start pushing your miles, you always want to start with an easy warm up. It gets the blood flowing and reminds your muscles it's time to work. A simple warm up would be to:

Walk at an easy pace for two minutes.
Then do ten ankle rocks per side, ten hip hinges, ten step-backs per side, and twenty seconds of high-knee marching with a tall posture.
Finish with a one-minute brisk walk before you launch into your mileage.

Week-by-week ramp

Week 1: Set the floor

Long ruck: 2 hours 15 minutes, steady aerobic.
Easy session: 30-45 minutes easy ruck or walk.

Week 2: Make it feel familiar

Long ruck: 2 hours 30 minutes, same easy effort.
Easy session: 30-45 minutes easy.

Week 3: Hit three hours

Long ruck: 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours.
Easy session: 40-50 minutes easy.

Week 4: Consolidate the work

Long ruck: 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes, relaxed. Let the next day be a rest day.
Easy session: 30-45 minutes easy.

Week 5: Stretch toward the goal

Long ruck: 3 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 20 minutes. Plan one brief stop around halfway. Use a simple between-stop carry plan by time. If the next leg is about 90 minutes, carry roughly what you drink and eat in 90 minutes, plus a small buffer.
Easy session: 40-60 minutes easy.

Week 6: 3.5-hour day

Long ruck: 3 hours 30 minutes, easy from start to finish. Warm up 10-15 minutes, and keep any stops short.
Easy session: 30-45 minutes later in the week, or extra mobility instead.

When to schedule it

Schedule your long ruck days when you've slept decently and feel good. If you've slept poorly, you don't feel rested, or you're feeling achy, give it another day and instead do some simple bodyweight walking or mobility work.

If life happens

Plan for life to happen. If a week unravels, keep the long ruck easy, and try again in 7-10 days after a normal training week. Progress is sustainable this way.

PATHFINDER Forward or Endure will ruck you to your first 12-miler

A first 12-miler feels big. If you want structure without it feeling strict, PATHFINDER Forward and PATHFINDER Endure are 3-month programs that include the 3.5-hour / ~12-mile Challenge so you can work on it with the support of our Course Advisors and rucking community.

Forward (intro level): Start here if you're new to rucking, but not new to working out. Forward is a flexible, beginner-friendly 3-month program with simple targets and choose-your-own Challenges (including timed rucks), so you can grow capacity without rigid calendars.
Endure (intermediate): Pick this if you already ruck consistently and want more stamina. Endure is a 3-month endurance training program with a curated Challenge list that features the Timed 12-miler option, plus other endurance tests to get you ready for your next goal or event.

Quick rule of thumb:
If your longest easy ruck is under ~60 minutes, choose Forward. If you are already comfortable at ~60–90 minutes, choose Endure.

FAQs

How should my ruck fit for longer efforts?

Your ruck should sit high and close to your upper back with no bouncing. Tighten the shoulder straps evenly until the ruck feels stable but your shoulders can relax. Set the sternum strap at about mid-chest to bring the straps in without pinching. If your ruck has a waist belt, use it lightly on longer days to share some of the weight without slouching. If anything rubs, stop once, adjust, and keep moving.

Where should I put the weight inside the ruck?

Keep heavier items high and close to your spine so the ruck stays balanced and quiet. Use soft items to keep the weight from shifting. Make sure nothing hard presses into your back. Close and cinch the ruck so the inside stays tight and stable.

What simple snacks travel well in a ruck?

Choose familiar, easy foods that you can eat while moving. Good options include peanut-butter or jelly sandwiches, fig bars, soft granola bars, rice cakes, bananas, applesauce pouches, crackers, pretzels, trail mix, fruit chews, and a small piece of jerky for variety. Pack items you can open and eat in a few bites.

How often should I snack during training?

Start with small, regular bites once you are settled and moving smoothly. You don't need to eat on regular ruck days, but for longer days, it's a good idea. Many athletes do well taking a bite every 20-30 minutes on longer ruck days. Keep it steady instead of waiting until you feel hungry. Adjust based on comfort and what you practiced.

Simple foot care for training days

Feet are rarely a consideration for new ruckers until it's too late. You want a foot-care game plan that keeps your feet healthy and pain-free. The day or two before any scheduled long ruck, be sure to trim toenails. Wear socks you already trust and change them if they become soaked - we recommend wool socks. If you feel a hot spot coming on, stop, dry the area, and cover it with a small pad or tape before it becomes a blister. After training, wash and dry your feet well and let your shoes air out.

What should I do if a blister forms?

If a blister appears, clean the area, cover it with a blister pad or tape, and reduce friction with smoother steps and secure lacing. Avoid popping blisters during training. If any pain changes your stride, or the skin looks irritated, cut the ruck short and let it settle before your next long mileage day.