Ruck4HIT training gets underway with Goggins Challenge

Merrily Cassidy, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read
Megan Carroll of Hyannis, left, runs along Great Neck Road South in Mashpee with Nicole Spencer, Heroes in Transition executive director, in last weekend's 48-hour Goggins Challenge, running four miles every four hours over 48 hours.
Megan Carroll of Hyannis, left, runs along Great Neck Road South in Mashpee with Nicole Spencer, Heroes in Transition executive director, in last weekend's 48-hour Goggins Challenge, running four miles every four hours over 48 hours.
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Megan Carroll, right, helps Nicole Spencer with her rucksack, symbolizing the burdens that the military and veterans carry.
Megan Carroll, right, helps Nicole Spencer with her rucksack, symbolizing the burdens that the military and veterans carry.
Alexander was joined by family members as he walked along the route. His daughter Melissa Alexander is also participating in the Ruck4HIT next month.
Alexander was joined by family members as he walked along the route. His daughter Melissa Alexander is also participating in the Ruck4HIT next month.

MASHPEE — Megan Carroll of Hyannis, left, runs along Great Neck Road South in Mashpee with Heroes in Transition Executive Director Nicole Spencer, who was participating in the 48-hour Goggins Challenge last weekend.

Spencer, of Mashpee, and Veterans Coordinator John Alexander, of Sandwich, are gearing up for next month's 36-hour Cape Cod Ruck4HIT by taking the Goggins Challenge, created by Iraq War veteran and ultramarathon runner David Goggins. The event involves running four miles every four hours over 48 hours.

Spencer and Alexander started their challenge Friday at 11 p.m. They were running separately but caught up with each other and some of their Ruck4HIT teammates in Mashpee to do the 11 a.m. leg Sunday. They upped the challenge by wearing rucksacks during their runs as they will also wear when they do the Ruck4HIT. The rucksacks are symbolic of the burdens that the military and veterans carry.

This is the second year that Spencer has participated in the 48-hour challenge and the first for Alexander. They have both participated in theRuck4HIT since it started in 2016. They're doing the challenge and the Ruck4HIT to raise awareness to Heroes In Transition's work and to the challenges that veterans, service members and military families face.

Spencer's brother is a Marine veteran and was deployed to Iraq. He was the first Cape Codder to receive a service dog from HIT. Alexander is a sergeant with the Barnstable Police Department and also served in the Army and Army National Guard who had deployments in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.

Heroes in Transition, based in Mashpee, was founded in 2009 in memory of Marine Capt. Eric A. Jones, a helicopter pilot, who lost his life while supporting a combat mission in Afghanistan.

The 7th annual Ruck4HIT will be held April 29-30. All funds from the event support the work of Heroes in Transition. For more information or to donate to Heroes in Transition, go to www.heroesintransition.org. Those who would like to volunteer or sponsor the event may email to ruck4hit@gmail.com.

Heroes in Transition Veterans Coordinator John Alexander, of Sandwich, left, and his wife, Kristen Alexander, and dog, Bella, make their way along Great Neck Road South. He has participated in the Ruck4HIT since it started in 2016. His wife will be participating in the Ruck4HIT as one of the support drivers.
Heroes in Transition Veterans Coordinator John Alexander, of Sandwich, left, and his wife, Kristen Alexander, and dog, Bella, make their way along Great Neck Road South. He has participated in the Ruck4HIT since it started in 2016. His wife will be participating in the Ruck4HIT as one of the support drivers.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Ruck4Hit training gets underway with Goggins Challenge