At the Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Poland, soldiers from the United States, United Kingdom, Romania, and Poland showed up bright and early one morning on December 21. One by one, their rucksacks were weighed and checked to ensure each had packed 24 pounds plus extra water needed for the event.
Called a Norwegian Foot March (NFM), 120 soldiers would have to ruck march over 18 miles, in a timed event. Typical times to finish the event are between four and six hours. They stepped off at 8:30 a.m.
Just hours later, at 11:36 a.m., Missouri Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Christopher Saunders came across the finish line just behind UK soldier Cpl. Scott Shepherd. Saunders is a public affairs mass communication specialist with the 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 70th Troop Command according to an Army press release. He was the second to finish the race and the first American.
However, the race isn't intended to be a competition between soldiers but rather for soldiers themselves to challenge their previous times on the NFM.
"I started getting into competitive endurance running about eight years ago. I liked the idea of competing against yourself and your thoughts." Saunders explained. "In the end, it's not about how fast you are, it's about existing in a state of elevated discomfort for a long time."
In the end, the event is a mental game against yourself. "You just have to continue moving, and it gets easier from there," Saunders said. "When competing, I’ll go far before I check my watch or pace. I get into my thoughts and think about anything else, allowing me to take my mind off the event I’m doing."