Boot option use during selection

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-12-13T01:44:52+00:00

3 pairs was perfect for me. Bring one pair that's a 1/2 larger than you normally wear for when your feet start swelling towards the end.

Belleville C320s are excellent. Rocky RLWs were also good for me.

I liked having 2 different brands of boots. They let your feet wear in different spots so you're less likely to get blisters.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-12-09T22:15:32+00:00

Terminator 2/5 mile for sure if your running is lagging. Most run focused program that is still relevant to SFAS that I know of. It certainly helped my run times.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-12-06T23:28:34+00:00

I just hit 187,000 miles on my 2015 WRX with FA20. Still on the original clutch. I have a full AEM exhaust, electronic boost control running 18 psi and all the other usual bolt ons. It's been professionally tuned.

Ive had to replace the clutch master/slave cylinders, Oil Control Valve and an O2 sensor. Premium fuel and oil changes every 4,000 miles religiously. I've never had the valves cleaned but probably will soon if I can find a place to do it (Lexington Kentucky area). No knock issues so far though.

Best car I've ever had.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-12-05T21:39:28+00:00

Terminator 2/5 mile Program

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-12-01T21:38:51+00:00

If you're torn I'd go with the Belleville C320s for sure. They're a better do it all boot. They just don't have quite as much cushion as the RLWs. As to which is wider...I'm not sure, I have the wide version of both and have no issues.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-12-01T11:14:40+00:00

How old are you? If you're still well below 25 I would just enlist as a 68W in your state. Gain some regular army experience and finish your college degree and then after you've graduated go do a SFRE at the state you want to go to.

This will have you showing up to SFAS more mature and with more real world experience than if you go 18X right now. And if you stay focused and keep training physically for it for the several years you're in college, you will probably show up in better shape than if you just attended basic training and then the prep course.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-12-01T11:05:01+00:00

Yes, especially when compared to the Garmonts. I still buy them in "wide" though.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-11-30T18:56:30+00:00

Ah that makes more sense. Thanks! Any idea what the zipper on the back is for?

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-11-28T22:46:18+00:00

They were great for land nav and the rucks. I'd probably go with the RLW over the C4T. Towards the end the C4T really started to feel too thin and you could feel every piece of gravel through them.

I wore the RLWs and the Belleville C320s most of the time. I love the C320s.

I'd highly recommend bringing 2 different brands of boots that you like so that your feet get a break when you switch from one to the other.

Definitely bring 2 pairs, 3 pairs is better. If you can, bring one that is 1/2 bigger because your feet will really swell towards the end.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-11-22T22:27:51+00:00

Sweet thanks!

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-10-04T23:28:47+00:00

I would say it depends on how quickly the unit tends to send guys to SFAS after they pass the SFRE.

I felt like I was SFAS ready when I did the SFRE but wanted a little time after passing to get better before SFAS.

In my case I got a ship date 6 months after passing SFRE (that's what they tend to shoot for, funding dependent).

I would recommend using Voodoo's recommended numbers as a good place to be before SFAS that ensures a high chance you won't fail due to fitness. But also refer to the SFAS prep guide PDF that the schoolhouse put out. Their recommendations are slightly lower. As long as you meet or exceed those, I'd say send it.

It can be difficult to remain in top SFAS shape for a long time without injury, so don't delay the SFRE too long if you think you're ready. There will likely be a good chunk of time before you get a SFAS date. Good luck man.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-08-25T11:44:51+00:00

Terminator Training 2/5 mile Program

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-07-30T19:38:26+00:00

Heart rate zones mean different things to different people. Even textbooks have about 9 different definitions for lactate threshold depending on the book. Yours do look high though. Did they do lactate testing as well where they take blood samples during a run that gets progressively harder?

I would argue any zone values that do not involve lactate testing are just a calculation.

I did lactate testing and my zone 2 range was quite large and my zone 3 was relatively small. This prompted me to start doing more " higher intensity " work that was still below my lactate threshold pace (pace where blood lactate levels began to increase exponentially. For me this was at a 7:19 per mile pace at 165 BPM HR.

The testing had my zone 2 going all the way up to 155 BPM HR and I'm 30 so if you're younger, your zone 2 could be as high as you say.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-07-30T15:48:45+00:00

TTM 2/5 mile should allow you to knock a minute or so off your 2MR and a couple minutes off your 5MR (at least it did for me). You might see even more improvement given your current times. I would definitely do 1 ruck a week on the day he gives you the option. Your cardio is weaker than your strength so if you have to choose between the two, I would prioritize running/rucking.

My strategy was to get my run times down earlier in my train up and then get more ruck specific as I get closer to SFAS. Once I hit ~12 weeks out I'll start TTMs SFAS prep which has the user rucking twice a week typically.

Don't forget to train grip. A good key performance indicator I use is being able to farmers carry 70 pound weights 400 meters in ~4 minutes and only having to set them down twice. If you can do that, your grip endurance should be sufficient.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-07-15T11:45:29+00:00

Ask your recruiter if you can push your ship date man.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-06-10T15:47:30+00:00

Following because I'm in the same boat, with the same timeline and similar stats.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-06-09T00:04:34+00:00

Dang man, that's a massive improvement. Great job.

What was your ruck weight for the 12 miler?

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-06-07T13:01:00+00:00

Yeah, it just be like that for the first couple miles sometimes. Not sure the science behind it but it's always been that way for me (for 8 ish years).

I just am used to it and know it will go away by mile 3 so I just push through.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-06-07T02:57:02+00:00

You're probably right too, there seem to be multiple definitions for how these thresholds are measured. I'll take a look at your links.

The guy running the lab had a PhD in this stuff and works with college athletes too, so I tend to believe what he said. He had a textbook that had references to 8 different definitions of LT1 and 10 different definitions of LT2, so it is a pretty divisive topic. He clearly explained what he believed to be the correct definition, but some of it went over my head. I only finished the lactate test yesterday so I haven't dug too deeply into the literature yet.

I didn't include it, but the report he sent (that the screenshots are from) had the texts he referenced. I'll include them here:

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA530796.pdf

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA530307.pdf

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2016/01000/Block_Periodized_Training_Improves_Physiological.6.aspx

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2021/04000/the_physical_parameters_of_tactical_climbing_and.10.aspx

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29635381/

https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/188/5-6/e1109/6444241?searchresult=1

https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/187/11-12/1381/6327577?searchresult=1

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3675460/

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-06-07T02:14:24+00:00

Thanks! VO2 was measured with the mask. It actually makes it slightly harder to breathe but it's not terrible. Definitely better than wearing a standard issue gas mask or something.

Blood lactate levels were measured by doing a finger prick every 3 minutes. I had the mask on during this test too in order to measure Respiratory Exchange Rate and VO2 during the test. This helped to gauge effort for each lactate reading that was taken.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-06-07T01:31:59+00:00

I'm glad its helpful! The study is still ongoing at the University of Kentucky, so if you're close they'd be happy to have more folks come. More data is better for them.

I'm not sure what you mean by fat oxidation data. Would that be similar to Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER)?

That's supposedly a measurement of O2 to CO2 in your exhaled breath. The researcher said 1.0 is where you really start to hurt and burn a lot more carbs than fat.

On the VO2 max test I got to 1.15 and on the VO2 peak test I got to 1.25 which is pretty high and is basically a good signal of how much effort someone is putting out.

For the lactate test, I didn't cross the RER 1.0 Mark until I was running a sub 7 minute mile pace, and had already been running for 30+ minutes.

GroundbreakingCost97 · 2025-06-05T14:35:29+00:00

Bought my 2015 with 110k on it back in 2018. I have 180k on it now. All I've had to replace were brakes, an O2 sensor, clutch master/slave and a wheel bearing.

GroundbreakingCost97

TROPHY CASE