PATHFINDER Horizon: 2025 Edition

Go the distance with PATHFINDER Horizon, a 12-week training program for marathon and ultra-distance rucking. With structured mileage, strength, and endurance Challenges, Horizon builds the stamina, posture, and fueling skills you need for all-day success on city routes, flat courses, and steady ground.

Horizon is built for athletes who want to last the distance. The updated program gives you structured long-ruck guidance, smart strength training, and a fueling and pacing system you can rely on when it matters most.

Horizon is also built to support popular ruck marathons and ruck divisions including GORUCK’s City Ruck 26.2 and 50-mile series, Tough Ruck Boston, the Bataan Memorial Death March, the JFK 50, and the DONNA Marathon Weekend ruck divisions. Because event rules vary, we show you how to adapt load and pacing while keeping your training plan intact

What’s new for 2025

• Clearer long-ruck progressions for 26.2-50 miles with terrain notes and time-on-feet targets.

• A refined fueling practice block that you repeat until it's automatic.

• A tighter taper and a race-week checklist, plus a humane post-race one-week reset.

• Event-agnostic planning so you can schedule City Ruck, Boston Tough Ruck, Bataan, or a local marathon ruck without rewriting your month.

Who Horizon is for

Horizon is built for athletes training toward marathon-distance and ultra-distance rucks, from organized events like the City Ruck 26.2 and 50-mile, Bataan Memorial Death March, or JFK 50, as well as for those chasing endurance goals like charity challenges and milestone efforts.

What you'll do

Across 12 weeks, you’ll progress through structured mileage, strength work, and endurance Challenges designed to prepare you for your big day , whether that’s an official ruck event, a charity marathon, or your own milestone goal. Horizon teaches you how to manage long-rucks with confidence, so you can repeat the process anytime you need it.

What you get

• 12 weeks of structured training with long-ruck guidance, strength sessions that support load carriage, and purposeful mobility.

• A fueling and hydration framework you'll rehearse in training and execute on event day.

• Pacing guidance that keeps you steady, including “strong but sustainable” interval rules and break timing.

• Race-week and post-race protocols so you arrive calm and leave healthy.

• Coaching notes that teach you how to adjust for heat, terrain, and mindset.

Events this program fits

• GORUCK City Ruck 26.2 and 50 miler

• Tough Ruck Boston 26.2

• Bataan Memorial Death March 26.2

• DONNA Marathon Weekend Rucking Division 
• Any other local marathon or ultra-distance ruck division

How Horizon works

You’ll train three pillars each week: a progressive long ruck, strength that protects your hips, feet, and back, and mobility to keep your stride mechanics clean. You’ll also practice fueling and hydration in training until it feels automatic. Horizon closes with a taper to support recovery, then an after-action review that locks in lessons learned so every mile makes you stronger for the next PATHFINDER cycle.

Choose Your Track: 26.2 or 50 Miles (2025)

Horizon is organized into two distance tracks so you can pick the plan that fits your event and experience.

• Marathon Track: 26.2 miles. Choose this for classic marathon-distance rucks such as the Bataan Memorial Death March (26.2).

• Ultra Track: 50 miles. Choose this if you're targeting an ultra-distance ruck such as the GORUCK City Ruck 50 Miler.

How to decide: If you're building to your first marathon ruck or want a time goal at 26.2, start with the Marathon Track. If you already have a solid 26.2 base and want the next step up in volume and time-on-feet, choose the Ultra Track. The program does not prescribe ruck weight by pace. Instead, you will follow distance and time-on-feet progressions inside your chosen track while confirming any event-specific rules on load and logistics with your organizer.

Results you can expect

You'll show up with a tested plan, stable pacing, calm fueling, and a clear head. You'll finish with fewer surprises, fewer foot problems, and more confidence.

Required Horizon Challenges

Every Horizon athlete completes four pre-scheduled Challenges that build event-specific readiness and confidence.

• Timed Weighted Ruck: 12 miles in under 3 hours at your event weight.

• Long Distance Ruck: Ruck with your full kit and event weight.

• Conditioning Ruck: 10 miles on concrete/hill terrain.
• Overnight Ruck: Darkness changes your cadence, temperature, footing, and decision-making.

These Challenges are required and already placed on your calendar. You'll earn every step.

BUNDLE & SAVE UP TO 20%!

Purchase a PATHFINDER Ruck Training Bundle and get multiple course credits in a single package and save up to 20%. Get details here.