"It was my first workout without a stroller"
As part of our ongoing series highlighting the remarkable women of the GORUCK community, meet Lauren, a 40-year-old mother of three who discovered that sometimes the most powerful transformations begin with the simplest steps.
The shoreline of Neptune Beach, Florida has a way of clearing your mind. Its therapeutic breeze is something Lauren, a 40-year-old mother of three and Principal at Avail Strategies, has come to rely on during her daily rucks along the coast.
“What I love most about rucking is the mental relief I get from it, even more than the physical benefits,” she says, recalling the early days when she’d push her firstborn in a stroller from her house to the pier—a four-mile journey that became her sanctuary.
Her Body Transformed
Lauren discovered rucking in 2016 when a friend who was an ultramarathoner signed up for a GORUCK Light event in Jacksonville Beach. What began as training for a single challenge quickly became a transformative practice.
“I started rucking everyday and immediately lost 20 pounds,” she recalls. “Fat was just melting off my body. Best of all, I could do it with my little baby. It was the one form of exercise that we could both do and enjoy together.”
For new mothers, finding time for fitness can feel impossible. Lauren’s solution was brilliantly practical—moms are good like that—a pink GORUCK backpack that served double duty as both diaper bag and fitness equipment.
She Turned a Diaper Bag Into Her Training Tool
“I used my ruck as my diaper bag plus a 10-pound plate,” she shares. “I took it with me everywhere when my kids weren't old enough to be potty-trained. It was an easy way to incorporate rucking into every aspect of my life.”
This portable gym accompanied her through the early years of motherhood, with a Hulk figurine occasionally finding its way inside alongside the necessities of childcare.
The GORUCK Light event marked a significant milestone for Lauren—it was the first time she’d rucked without her baby. “I mentioned this in the event intros—first time rucking without a stroller. First moment of freedom in my exercise with no interruptions,” she says. “I had so much fun at the event and even though I was initially intimidated by how fit the other participants looked. As it turned out, I was fitter than I thought.”
Beyond Physical Transformation
While the physical benefits were immediate and noticeable, rucking provided Lauren with something even more valuable—community and purpose during a major life transition.
“Rucking gave me a purpose when I was a new mom,” she says. “It also helped me find a social circle when I was settling into my new home. I met up with people who also rucked, mostly other moms, and found like-minded people who helped me feel like I belonged.”
Now, with children aged 12, 8, and 3, rucking has evolved into a family activity. “My husband and I go on rucks when we want to spend time together outside and just catch up on life,” Lauren says. “We also find that rucking is great to do with our kids while they either ruck or scooter or run alongside us.”
She’s tried other fitness modalities, too—dabbling in CrossFit and attending various classes—but the flexibility of rucking makes it uniquely compatible with the unpredictable nature of raising young children.
A Message For Hesitant Beginners
“Just do it!” she says. “I was nervous and it quickly became a favorite activity of mine. Once I tried it, I realized it was so simple and easy.”
Her journey shows the most sustainable fitness routines are usually not complex or trendy. They’re the ones that seamlessly integrate into our lives, growing and evolving just like our lives do.
From a new mother seeking moments of peace to a family creating active memories together, Lauren is an awesome reminder rucking can be more than exercise—it can be a companion through life’s countless transitions.
This profile is part of our series highlighting the diverse and inspiring women who make up the GORUCK community. Their stories remind us that strength comes in many forms, and sometimes the heaviest weight we carry brings the greatest reward.
