When I signed up for the 2025 Badger Trekker, I knew I was committing to something more intense than my usual “walk to the fridge at high speed during breaks from building with LEGO Bricks” fitness routine. I mean, it’s a Run ‘N Gun—running, shooting, carrying gear, and pretending to be a tactical gazelle in the wilderness. It sounded cool. It sounded challenging. It sounded like a great idea at the time.
Then I started running.
Three weeks ago, I took my first brave, wobbly steps into the world of intermittent running. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a highly technical training methodology (or at least that’s how I explain it to people) where you run until you think you’re going to die, walk until you regain the will to live, and then repeat the cycle. Some call it interval training; I call it “negotiating with my lungs.”
Week one was honestly not that bad. I discovered that despite my ability to carry 45 pounds+ of gear through the woods (thank you Wolverine 5k), my legs, and the rest of my body is now middle age. My first attempt at running looked less like a focused athlete in training and more like a bear who just woke up from hibernation and realized it was late for work. My heart rate monitor suggested I was either achieving peak fitness or about to ascend to the afterlife.
By week two, things improved slightly. I upgraded to “wheezing buffalo” from “determined sloth.” I also learned an important lesson about pacing: namely, that going full speed out of the gate is a fantastic way to taste your own regret in under a minute. Adjustments were made. I now strategically shuffle at a sustainable pace, which is only slightly faster than a fast-forwarded grocery store walk.
I’m taking on a couch to 5k style training program, here is what we’ve completed so far:
- Week 1 Intervals:
- Day 1: 3 Minute Walk, 1 Minute Run – 1 Mile
- Day 2: 3 Minute Walk, 1 Minute Run – 1 Mile
- Day 3: 3 Minute Walk, 1 Minute Run – 1.5 Miles
- Week 2 Intervals:
- Day 1: 2 Minute Walk, 2 Minute Run – 1 Mile
- Day 2: 2 Minute Walk, 2 Minute Run – 1 Mile
- Day 3: 2 Minute Walk, 2 Minute Run – 1.5 Miles
- Week 3 Intervals:
- Day 1: 2 Minute Walk, 2 Minute Run – 1.5 Miles
- Day 2: 2 Minute Walk, 2 Minute Run – 2 Miles
- Day 3: 2 Minute Walk, 2 Minute Run – 1.5 Miles
In all honestly, I’m taking things super safe as the training plan above shows, I’ve got time, and I’m not trying to kill myself and turn running into something I hate. Now, three weeks in, I am proud to report that I can run longer, recover faster, and I only think about faking an injury once or twice per session. Progress! My legs have stopped filing complaints with HR (my brain), and I no longer audibly groan when I see a slight incline. In short, I’m getting there.
The road to the Badger Trekker is long—literally, because there’s a lot of running involved—but I’m sticking with it. After all, I want to be able to finish the match without collapsing into a tactical heap. Plus, I hear that if you train long enough, you start to enjoy running. That sounds like a myth, but hey, I’ll keep going and report back.
Until then, I’ll be out there—running, walking, wheezing, and preparing for battle. If you see a determined sloth on the trails, that’s probably me. Give a nod of encouragement. Or snacks. Snacks are always welcome.
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