Training for the PARAS'10. Building a Programme to Succeed.
- Alastair Hunt
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
The PARAS'10 is one of the premier tabbing (aka rucking) challenges in the UK and it takes targeted and consistent training to succeed. What is the standard to achieve a pass?
10 miles (16.1km)
Carrying 35lbs (16kg)
Under 1 hour and 50 minutes. (Pace: 10 minutes per mile / 6 mins 13s per km; or faster)
Boots and trousers (long pants)
It is an all out push from start to finish. And with both in-person and a virtual event, a challenge open to all.
Organised by The Parachute Regiment and open to the public, the '10 Miler' is an event that even members of the military struggle to pass when attempting Parachute Regiment selection on the infamous P Company course. If you want to have a go, without the benefit of a full-time (PARA Reg) training team, how do you train? What resources are available, is there a training programme that will work for you as a civilian? In this article we review and critique the options.
As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to resources and research are shared at bottom of page.
Event preparation
Fortunately the PARAS'10 website has a week-by-week training programme. Download the .pdf here
The programme is strong is several areas. It sets a clearly defined goal, the 10 Miler, and progressively builds the generic participant up to that level. The provides balanced training: mixing tabs (rucks) with running, strength, swimming and 'gentler' sessions such as stretching - for all round conditioning. And vital rest days for recovery between sessions.
The PARAS'10 plan has the participant starting with 2 runs per week (3 to 4 miles) in Week 1. For the sake of argument, let's accept that the participant has this basic level of fitness and can complete the run. It is only in week 3 that a Sunday loaded session - carrying a reasonable (for most) 15lbs - takes place.
However, I suspect that for most people - especially those juggling the demands of busy lives - from there on the programme starts to go above their ability or capacity to train. Certainly the comprehensive plan seems to be written for those who has access to a extensive training facilities and the ability to recover well. Perhaps oriented to young recruits rather than working adults.
And this is where the training research, and my suggestion, differ from the generic plan. By Week 7 - two 10 miles runs and an 8 mile loaded march. A recreational runner might be able to complete a slow 10 mile run after 7 weeks of progressive training, but not 3 hard efforts of similar distance - including a tab - in one week. Certainly not without significant risk of injury or over-training.
The programme is simply too hard, too fast.
Progression and recovery
Of course, with a single document, the training team cannot cater to the needs of all participants, across both sexes and all age groups. Each individual with differing levels of experience and lifestyle. So how can we adapt the programme to the needs of an individual, likely with less capacity to train?
If I could only change only one element of the programme it would be to add more recovery, in the form of a deload week every fourth week. Training still takes place, but the duration of sessions (the total weekly volume) is reduced.
The deload week allows the body to recuperate and grow from the preceding training block. The downside of this, compared to the PARAS'10 plan? It increases the training programme from 10 to 13 weeks - see Plan A below. While this is an additional 33% duration (2 and a half months, to 3 months and a week) and it can make a huge difference in safe and consistent progress.
For those slower to recuperate or struggle to balance all the training (age and life's commitments catch up with us all!) a more cautious approach, Plan B (see below), might work better: 17 weeks total, just over 4 months. Not an unreasonable time period to prepare for a major event.
And we have to accept that no printed plan-schedule can cater to life circumstances. Work, family, holidays, illness - all conspire to derail training sooner or later.
If you are training for the PARAS'10, a Norwegian Foot March, or just to get fast and fit, our self-paced online course"Built to Ruck The Science and Practice of Rucking" covers everything the research tells us about load carriage training, pacing, progression, heat management, hydration, fueling and more. It is built for tabbers at every level of experience, and draws directly on the peer-reviewed military and sports science research.
Let's get at it
The PARAS'10 is an amazing event, both for in-person and 'virtual' tabbers. Ultimately you have to do the training that works for you, that fits into your lifestyle - to get the miles completed and sufficient time on your feet to succeed.
Wherever you are: train safe and enjoy the process!
Alastair
Related resources & research
Norwegian Foot March, Guidelines
Oeschger R, Roos L, Wyss T, Buller MJ, Veenstra BJ, Gilgen-Ammann R. Influence of Soldiers' Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Physiological Responses and Dropouts During a Loaded Long-distance March. Mil Med. 2022 Jan 7;188(7-8):e1903–9. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usab540. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35015894; PMCID: PMC10363014.
Orr R, Pope R, Lopes TJA, Leyk D, Blacker S, Bustillo-Aguirre BS, Knapik JJ. Soldier Load Carriage, Injuries, Rehabilitation and Physical Conditioning: An International Approach. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Apr 11;18(8):4010. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18084010. PMID: 33920426; PMCID: PMC8069713.
Godhe M, Helge T, Mattsson CM, Ekblom Ö, Ekblom B. Physiological Factors of Importance for Load Carriage in Experienced and Inexperienced Men and Women. Mil Med. 2020 Aug 14;185(7-8):e1168-e1174. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usaa050. PMID: 32248224.
Hunt AP, Billing DC, Patterson MJ, Caldwell JN. Heat strain during military training activities: The dilemma of balancing force protection and operational capability. Temperature (Austin). 2016 Feb 26;3(2):307-317. doi: 10.1080/23328940.2016.1156801. PMID: 27857960; PMCID: PMC4965006.
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