GORUCK Kill that 5k Tampa Review

What makes this 5k different for others? First, be ready for the extra weight you will be carrying! This isn’t just a regular road race—the extra 20, 30, or 45lbs does make a difference even at 3 miles. The two GORUCK 5kʼs I have done have been on a golf course which made me realize that I may need one more pair of running sneakers. GORUCK will not cancel the event for rain or much of anything, so be ready for slippery grass and sidewalks! Also, don’t expect bananas. GORUCK doesn’t like them. You will see plenty of beer afterwards, but bananas are your obligation !

At GORUCK Kill That 5k you will realize this event is much more than a race or completing 3.1 miles. The people you will meet, the new friends you will have, and the amount of fun you just had will have you thinking about how everything blew your expectations away. The option of how competitive you want to be and of how much weight you want to carry in your ruck (a.k.a. backpack) will give you more than 110% motivation to just kill it until you finish and then also want to go support and help your friends!

I did my first GORUCK Kill That 5K in Jacksonville and registered for the competitive female in which I had to carry at least 20lbs. Although I am competitive, I do know I would have been crawling to the finish line if I had registered for the elite class where the minimum weight was 45lbs. So in Tampa, I did have the competitive drive and excitement where I wanted to at least beat my Jacksonville time by a lot since I did a GORUCK challenge before the last 5k. It would have been nice to place in Tampa, but GORUCK has instilled the phrase of how “it’s not about you, it’s about them”. I was happier knowing GORUCK allowed us to go back and support our friends and participants ! This is really where the difference between GORUCK Kill that 5k and a regular 5k comes in. Not just carrying the weight, but how much you will care about the others around you.

During the beginning of a regular 5k, you most likely will be talking with your own clique stretching your legs and hips around someone’s car. Your bananas will be set for the end of the race and your high tech watches will be ready to watch your pace. Afterwards, you will stretch again then eat your banana and probably go home for a nap because you know you woke up at the break of dawn for this race. You might leave with the same group you came with from GORUCK 5k, but I have no doubt that Jason McCarthy (the owner of GORUCK) will be around to introduce himself and his dog, Monster. You will meet the various cadre of GORUCK (all who are either former or active special forces and now leaders of GORUCK events) and you will have at least one beer with other participants who want to know about you. You will definitely have more friends then you came with, especially if you stay for the best ever after party!

The GORUCK 5k also isn’t just for fans of extra weight to carry and Budweiser. One of GORUCKʼs goals is to bridge the gap between the military and civilian worlds. During the 5k, which started with singing the national anthem, you could see people weren’t there for themselves. No matter if you’re running with your family, friends, or dog you will be welcomed and supported. Whether you choose the fun 5k group and carry a 12 pack or pull along your child’s stroller, you will have fun. I truthfully wish I could go to the next GORUCK 5k in California because I have met such awesome people through GORUCK and their events. I know others would have no problem hooking me up with the four bricks I apparently love to carry around !

The GORUCK Kill That 5k is definitely a very exciting and motivating event. At the award ceremony after everyone had finished it was awesome to see everybody who earned the extra patch and earn his or her certificate for winning. Racing with your ruck is definitely a different type of event. GORUCK lets you be as competitive as you want, the amount of fun you will have, or both. Seeing whole families out there while others are competing with half their body weight in their ruck while supporting each other is just this GORUCK event is about. I hope everybody will have the opportunity to try a GORUCK 5k. How everything was set up at the event, you could tell they put 110% into the 5k. For this being their second 5k I have no doubt the event will continue to grow, along with the amount of people participating or the amount of support GORUCK has from different sporting companies.

Read previous GORUCK reviews here.

*Photos By: GORUCK

Kaitlyn is an avid runner. She has taken part in over 30 GORUCK events. Kaitlyn runs to support her two brothers who are current military. She is consistently looking for a new challenge, especially if it is with great friends and a fun after party!