I'm Walking Across USA for Wounded Warrior

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Yeah…I realize I’m crazy, and that I can kiss any muscle I have goodbye. The idea of doing this is too compelling though, and it’s for a damn good cause. I was a Marine a thousand years ago, but the concept of doing something for charity was actually borne out of an article in the original Testosterone magazine called “lessons from hospitals” by Chris Shugart, and it can be found on the website now @

http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/diet_blog_hammer_velocity_shugart/rerun_lessons_from_hospitals

My website launches in a couple of weeks, and I’m leaving from Charleston, SC on March 3rd. Then it’s all manifest destiny and westward expansion.

If you’d like to make a donation you can do so @

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/individual-fundraising/thewarriorwalk/

If you’d like to pick on me or call me a stupid asshole you can do that right here!

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best of luck

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That’s awesome.

Where is your final destination? How long do you think it will take you?

How are you preparing yourself?

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Run, Forest, Run!

Seriously though, awesome. Best of luck to you. Keep bumping this thread and I’m sure the T community will pitch in.

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Thank you.

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[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
Run, Forest, Run!

Seriously though, awesome. Best of luck to you. Keep bumping this thread and I’m sure the T community will pitch in.
[/quote]

I was worried I’d have to do some shameless self-bumps before this thread fell into obscurity…I saw that someone had posted, and I was like “Thank god!”

Thank you guys for the kind words and support!

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[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
That’s awesome.

Where is your final destination? How long do you think it will take you?

How are you preparing yourself?[/quote]

Final destination is up in the air…I originally expected to finish in San Diego or LA, but I’ve already been there before! I was stationed at Camp Pendleton when I was in the Marines. I never made it farther north than Santa Barbara, and I’m thinking a visit to San Fran could be cool. Then again, I’ve never been to the redwood national forest, and that has always kinda weighed on me. We’ll see how I’m feeling when I get that far!

I’m planning on an average of 100 miles/week, more or less. Again, depending on how I feel. That would put me at 6 months if I did a straight shot across. I’m not in any real hurry, but 8 months would be enough to see and do everything I’d like to do on the way.

Training DID consist of throwing on my pack (loaded with 75lbs), and then walking 12-24 miles. Two things happened: 1, every person I researched who has made an unsupported cross-country journey has pulled a cart behind them in lieu of a pack, and 2…I live in western NY. I was walking down the road one day, and a plow was coming towards me. Normally I would just cross the street, but a truck was coming the other direction. The plow didn’t bother to raise his blade, and I got covered head to toe in some cold wet-ass snow.

Now I walk 18-24 miles a day…on a treadmill. If you’ve never wanted to blow your head off I would suggest trying this out to push you to that level. 6-8 hours on a treadmill is unbelievable boring.

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Push a prowler across America, you’ll keep more leg mass :wink:

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I’ve always liked long walks, though of course I’ve never walked anything like what you’re going to do…but if I could I’d join you for 30 or 40 miles.

I’m sure it will be a moving and memorable experience.

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[quote]csulli wrote:
Push a prowler across America, you’ll keep more leg mass ;)[/quote]

Pulling a 150lb cart uphill has taught my legs a few lessons.

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[quote]Nards wrote:
I’ve always liked long walks, though of course I’ve never walked anything like what you’re going to do…but if I could I’d join you for 30 or 40 miles.

I’m sure it will be a moving and memorable experience. [/quote]

Hey, if you’re anywhere in the southern US and you’d like to walk for a bit feel free to join me for a few hours. We’ll talk about beer and britney spears if that’s cool.

The outpouring of support has already been moving and memorable. People who have no reason to help, who gain no benefit by doing so, have really been coming out of the woodwork. Gives me a solid boost in the faith in humanity department.

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Oh, and a plug for the event blog is probably a good idea. Redirecting... and twitter.com/joshlydell

I haven’t posted anything funny or interesting yet, but that’s only because I’m not funny or interesting. I’ll work on it.

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What’s your route going to be?

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[quote]joshlydell wrote:

[quote]Nards wrote:
I’ve always liked long walks, though of course I’ve never walked anything like what you’re going to do…but if I could I’d join you for 30 or 40 miles.

I’m sure it will be a moving and memorable experience. [/quote]

Hey, if you’re anywhere in the southern US and you’d like to walk for a bit feel free to join me for a few hours. We’ll talk about beer and britney spears if that’s cool.

The outpouring of support has already been moving and memorable. People who have no reason to help, who gain no benefit by doing so, have really been coming out of the woodwork. Gives me a solid boost in the faith in humanity department.[/quote]

Indeed if I were anywhere near we’d do that. Well except for the Britney Spears part…what was up with that?!

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Best of luck, you have my respect. Wish I could join you for a few miles, but, I am currently in 'stan. WW is a great cause.

Why don’t you post what your equipment will be? brand of shoe, pack, rain jacket, trail food, etc…I dont do Facebook, but, maybe a sponsor will pick you up? Do a daily blog, if possible…seems like something North Face or one of the major shoe companies would get into… keep everyone up to date. Good Luck.

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Anyone who calls you a “stupid asshole” should be shot.

Thank you for your service, I think this is awesome. I wish you safe travels and that you reach your goals!

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Nards: I don’t know, man. She’s making a comeback on my top ten list.

Idaho: I will do exactly that in my next post…should probably put up some pictures actually. Thank you for your service!

Monopoly19: Thanks, my friend! I have too many people counting on me now to let them down.

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[quote]joshlydell wrote:
Nards: I don’t know, man. She’s making a comeback on my top ten list.

Idaho: I will do exactly that in my next post…should probably put up some pictures actually. Thank you for your service!

Monopoly19: Thanks, my friend! I have too many people counting on me now to let them down.

[/quote]

She should have never left your top ten list.

Best of luck. WW is the only charity i give to on a regular basis. It really is a top notch organization.

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Thus far my sponsors are:

Defense soap: www.defensesoap.com (keep my nasty body clean)

Suntactics: www.suntactics.com (keep my phone charged on the road)

Optimum Nutrition: www.optimumnutrition.com (keep some amount of strength on my bones)

I’m pulling a cart behind me as I said, and here are a couple of pictures of the construction process:

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Also: I had been wearing New Balance shoes throughout the training process, but I walked past a running store in Mt Pleasant, SC (on the run), and the guy working there was a TRUE runner. Dude was stretching his legs while he was selling me new shoes. He taught me more about footwear in 15 minutes than I had learned in the preceding 33 years.

I’m set up in a pair of Brooks now. The adrenaline GTS 13 to be exact. It is an admittedly UGLY shoe, but it feels like my foot is getting a handjob from an angel. Or something. Truly awesome shoe. I’m not coming from any kind of endurance background so this is all new to me, and these shoes have already made a world of difference.