The Norwegian Foot March started as a way to test the Norwegian Army’s readiness during World War 1; completing it now earns you a badge to wear on your dress uniform. The march happens overnight and has competitors covering 30 kilometers (around 18.8 miles) while carrying an 11-kilogram (25-pound) backpack in under 4.5 hours. The average pace per mile needed to meet the time requirement is 14 minutes and 30 seconds per mile. The course at West Point is a hilly 6-mile loop that is done 3 times.
My roommates and I started on Friday night at 8:34 with around 35 pounds each (35 pounds is the standard weight for most US Army tests so it is fairly common for people to do this). We went at a brutal pace for the first 9 miles, averaging faster than 12 minutes per mile. The three of us wanted to finish together, so we slowed down for the second half and came in just over 4 hours at 12:38. We got checked out and then made it back to our room around 2 am. We all slept until noon on Saturday and just laid around with incredibly stiff legs, backs, and hips. I had a great experience with this and know that I could have gone a lot faster. These grueling experiences make me excited to see what else I’m capable of accomplishing.
Me with my roommates, Eli and Pierce
Me and fellow Utahn, Caleb Watson