Have you ever run a race that starts by jumping out of a plane into the Pacific Ocean? Unless you’re a US Navy SEAL, probably not.
A three-man team, including former SEALs Jonathan Wilson and Robert Moeller, are going to take on one of the toughest physical challenges on the planet on October 25. The Specter Series, a 103-mile slog over air, sea, and land over roughly one day, is designed to push former service members to the brink of their capacities to raise awareness about the issues their peers face when they transition from the SEAL teams back into civilian life.
The course begins with a skydive into the Pacific Ocean, followed by a three-mile swim to land. From there, the team will don operational combat gear and run 100 miles throughout San Diego, finishing in around 24 hours.
The team isn’t prepping for the grueling race alone. To make the most of their training, they’ve been working with WHOOP, the company behind one of the most advanced fitness trackers on the market.
Running for a Cause
Wilson and Moeller are both part of the nonprofit organization behind the event, the SEAL Future Fund (SFF), which is dedicated to helping former SEALs in their civilian professional lives. The third team member is an active duty SEAL, referred to as CBritt, whose identity is being kept under wraps.
“We started this [The Specter Series] because when we transition, even though we have the best fraternity in the world, we go solo and don’t have our team anymore,” Wilson, the CEO of SFF, told MensHealth.com. “This is a way for us to come back together with our peers, do something extremely challenging. Living in the suck, if you will.”
At the program’s peak, the SEALs covered 30 miles on Saturday, then ran 18 miles the next day.
“When we leave [the service], that’s part of our DNA,” added Moeller, who oversees SFF development efforts. “There are certain traditions and traits that become a part of you. You really miss and struggle with that when you transition into the civilian world.”
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The team will be raising money, too, with funds going to the SFF and the Brain Treatment Foundation, an organization that supports combat vets with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress after their service. WHOOP, meanwhile, is selling a Special Edition SFF Strap, with $29 from every purchase going directly to the SFF.
High Tech Training Help
The SFF formed a full support team to build a training plan for the Specter Series, with psychologists, a strength and conditioning coach, and WHOOP, whose performance experts and data analysts parsed the SEALs’ biometric data to keep performance on track.
The team trained hard for five days a week, with two “Active Recovery” days (light activity meant to keep the body loose) on Mondays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays were dedicated to lifting weights, with a run and swim session on Wednesdays.
The weekends were reserved for long runs. The first weekend split was 10 miles on Saturday and five on Sunday — but at the program’s peak, the SEALs covered 30 miles on Saturday, then ran 18 miles the next day.
Focus on R&R
Since the WHOOP device gauges recovery level and sleep need, the SEALs have a better idea of exactly how much punishment their bodies would be able to handle.
Wilson called the data-driven training “a f***ing game-changer. We are apes in the SEAL teams — we just press through walls, we’ll lift as much as we possibly can. And then you actually see the data and you’re like, ‘you are an idiot, doing this to your body.'”
Outside of the training sessions, the team focused on limiting physical strain as much as possible by avoiding unnecessary activity to maximize performance when it counted.
They also had more insight on the rest they needed for their training. The SEALs took 20-minute naps whenever possible, but the real focus was on nightly sleep sessions.
Moeller estimated that he got 4 to 5 hours of rest on most nights before the training. Once he fixated on maintaining sleep consistency (going to bed and waking up at set times), he improved that measure by 9 percent. The data revealed that Wilson, meanwhile, takes a long time to fall asleep, so he used meditation and journaling to create rituals around his bedtime routine.
Serving for More
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The data tracking won’t end once the Specter Series begins on October 25. Supporters can follow along in real time within the WHOOP app through its community feature or on the company’s Specter event site.
Both former SEALs are adamant that the event will be much more than just an opportunity for them to “embrace the suck” one more time, since they hope to create more opportunities for their peers through the fundraising efforts and stage more challenges like it in the future.
“[Wilson] and I volunteered for service over a decade ago,” Moeller said. “That is something that has never left [us]. That’s something that I’m doing through this race.”
Think you’ve got what it takes to work out like a Navy SEAL? Put these principles into practice. You might not be ready to skydive into a hundred mile run, but you’ll be prepared to take on a new challenge.
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