It all started in 2022. At the time, Chief Master Sergeant Derek Geske (then a senior master sergeant) was the operations superintendent for the 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron. The squadron participated in a True North resiliency trip to Chicago, where members were encouraged to take part in various ruck marches as a way to build teamwork and strengthen unit cohesion. That experience would later inspire four Airmen to reunite and take on an even greater challenge.
During the 2022 trip, Geske explained that their bus broke down, preventing him from participating in the 50-mile ruck as planned. Instead, the group completed the marathon-distance ruck of 26.2 miles. Although not typically a “rucker” (walking with a weighted pack), Geske said he wanted to push himself and step outside his comfort zone.
Fast forward to Friday, April 10, 2026, and Chief Geske was finally ready to attempt the 50-mile ruck. In downtown Austin, Texas, he met up with three other former 91 MSFS members: Lt Col Jeffrey Beene (343rd Training Squadron, JBSA-Lackland), TSgt Thomas Abney (383rd Training Squadron, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston), and MSgt Steve Culver (Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, JBSA-Randolph).
The event began at 9 p.m. in the heart of Austin. About 30 minutes before step-off, the group received a series of waypoints to map out. Each waypoint was a location in the city, and the team had to reach each one and take a photo before 5 p.m. the following day to complete the grueling 50-mile ruck.
At the start, Geske said he felt energized and excited. “I loved being able to reconnect,” he said, referring to the teammates he hadn’t worked with in years.
With a light drizzle falling and 20 to 30 pounds on their backs, the group set off on a journey that would last through the night and into the next day, an experience none of them will forget. Geske admitted he did not specifically train for the event. While he considered himself generally fit, he underestimated the mental challenge required to complete such a demanding task.
As the hours passed and the team made their way through Austin – eventually reaching one of the highest points in the city – Geske described the view as both beautiful and discouraging. Looking out over the skyline and the distance they had already covered, the realization of how far they still had to go weighed heavily on them.
By the early morning hours, after miles of uphill walking in humid Texas conditions, the physical toll had set in. More than halfway through, everyone was hurting. “It took some motivational mind tricks to keep going,” Geske said. “My feet, hips, knees, and ankles were all aching, basically everything from the waist down hurt.” The team relied on each other for encouragement, taking turns pushing one another forward. “We could look at each other and take comfort,” he said. “It was a battle every step mentally.”
In the final 10 miles, after roughly 40 miles with only short breaks, Geske found a second wind following a quick stop for snacks and a restroom break. Combined with the knowledge that the finish line was near, the final stretch became more manageable.
All four teammates crossed the finish line around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, after nearly 20 hours of continuous movement. Geske said he felt immediate relief. He grabbed a beer, took off his boots and socks, and finally sat down to rest – exhausted, relieved, and deeply proud of what they had accomplished.
When asked if he would do it again, Geske laughed and said that, for now, the answer is “no.” However, he admitted that might change once the memory of the pain fades. While he enjoys pushing his 44-year-old body to its limits, he and his teammates agreed that the marathon-distance ruck, while still challenging, was more enjoyable, and something they would likely do again.
Geske compared the experience to life itself, explaining that the ruck was a reminder of how people can endure difficult moments that seem impossible at the time. In the end, those challenges often leave a greater impact than expected, proving just how much a person is capable of overcoming.
