04/21/2026
Tough Ruck 2026 AAR:
The energy at the start was electric. 1000 Ruckerās ready to go from all walks of life, ages and ability levels to honor the fallen. No rain at step off but that would soon change. We started off on the road but turned to the trail going through the battlefields and to sounds of roaring muskets. I had no problem keeping up with crowd of ruckers doing 16 minute miles. I didnāt even notice the first 3 miles at all with everything going on. Then the rain started but just enough to make me cold and not be able to take my jacket off. All day. I would get warm then cold then warm again. We got to the first turn around at the 10 mile mark. We had to do that uphill section twice, at least it was a gradual uphill just to notice the downhill on the return. At least I got to see all the faster ruckers a couple times for motivation before hitting the 18 mile mark were my wheels usually fall off. Mile 18 didnāt disappoint.
I had to stop only 2 times to take my ruck off to replenish my nutrition: BPN G1M Sport and gels, Ketone IQ, Frog Fuel Pre Workout, Neversecond gels Cliff Bars and Jelly Beansā¦ at mile 15 I realized I didnāt take enough with me. My Ruck at Weigh-In was 36 # without water and my goodies, 42 with everything. So at mile 18 I took my last Ketone-IQ and the last of the jellies and hoped for the best. My knees were the only thing hurting, a lot, I had to minimize my knee movement and just push my legs forward and take smaller stepās which meant slower speed. Then I got a message from Pete: āYour pace slowed. Refocus. Get back to your rhythm.ā Copy thatā¦ mile 18 turned to mile 22.
By then all the trails were quite muddy. Not Go One More Ultra muddy but for my 62 year old knees muddy enough to where my only thoughts were, donāt slip and fall down. Pace slowed a little more. Then at mile 23 I couldnāt believe my eyes. A woman with 2 dogs off in the distance. Wait, thatās MY woman and dogs. I thought I was hallucinating at first but I wasnāt. I didnāt think I would see them until the finish line. After that brief, beautiful moment, Thatās when knew I was going to finish this thing! There was one last aid station and I took any calories they had and pushed on. My only thoughts those last miles were of why I came here in the first place.
For The Fallen: My Dad SSgt Richard Darby, My friend MSgt Robert āBobāCarroll, CMSgt ClaudeāRayāRolen, My Bayou Pub Friend Bob, The Fallen From Khobar Towers, My friendās father Harry Courtney Tuttle, LTC Mark E. Stratton II, LTC Christopher K. Raible, Michael Duane Sprinkle. I carried them all today with honor.
Also for all the friends, sponsors and training partners that got me here. The chance to come āHomeā one more time to do something hard and live the dream of the Boston Marathon.
The course did not disappoint, it was challenging mentally and physically with just the right amount of suckā¦.The volunteers and spectators were amazing I canāt say enough about their dedication throughout this event. We paid to be here, they endured the rain and cold of their own free will just to encourage us to finish.
Even today the finish line is a blurr. A mix of emotions, adrenaline, your name being called over the loudspeaker, the person holding the Unicorn Medal ready to crown you a Tough Ruck finisher, the final weigh-inā¦38 #, My beautiful wife hugging me with Izzy and Doughal trying to console me.
If youāre a Rucker and Tough Ruck is on your bucket list, do it! You wonāt be disappointed.
If youāre NOT a Rucker and read all the way through this come to Bayou Pub next week and Iāll buy you a beer, you earned itā¦
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Mike Darby
Tough Ruck 2026 Finisher š¦
