Normandy 80th Anniversary

JOIN US IN FRANCE MAY 27-JUNE 4

“THINK NOT ONLY UPON THEIR PASSING, REMEMBER THE GLORY OF THEIR SPIRIT” — American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Normandy

GORUCK has been hosting events in Normandy, France since 2013. We went big for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the 80th Anniversary feels, to us, like one final time to join those few from the Greatest Generation who still remain — to hear their stories and pay tribute to their friends and brothers who never left these shores. 

We’ll ruck the beaches of Normandy, through the hedgerows and alongside the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, retracing the footsteps of those who liberated the world from tyranny, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We honor them.

Our Events are open to all and we hope you’ll join us.

EVENTS RUN OF SHOW

All times are local to Normandy, France. Links provided are to registration pages. For additional details keep scrolling down.

May 27-29 - GORUCK Selection. 48+ Hours  

May 29, 10am - Selection ENDEX watch party 

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May 31, 3pm - Welcome to Normandy 80th Anniversary Kickoff Party (D-Day themed workout & local beers)

June 1-2 RUCK NORMANDY Series. Rucking only events done in small teams or solo. 

June 3-4 GORUCK Challenge Normandy Series

  • Tough - June 3rd, 7am (10 Hours)
  • Basic - June 4, 7am (5 Hours)
  • Light - June 4, 1pm (3 Hours)

June 4, 4pm - ?? - After-Party and one for the Ranger in the sky

ADDITIONAL DETAILS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP

Our home base is the GORUCK TEAM HOUSE, on the beach, from May 26-June 5th, 2024:

35 Rue Gambetta, Grandcamp-Maisy Normandie 14450 France

All Events and a bunch of workouts either start or end here - and there’s plenty of parking close by. Families, participants, spectators and friends are all welcome.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

GORUCK SELECTION (48+ Hours)

  • Start Time: May 27, 1pm 
  • Location: Team House
  • The toughest endurance event in the world, held for the first time outside of the USA.
Don't sign up here

SELECTION WATCH PARTY

  • Start Time: May 29, at 10AM  
  • Location: Team House
  • Join us for a 45-60 minute workout and stay to witness the final shark attack of Selection from ~12-1pm, followed by an after-party.
RSVP HERE

Welcome to Normandy 80th Anniversary Kickoff Party

  • Start Time: May 31, 3pm
  • Location: Team House
  • Note: We’ll do a D-Day themed workout that will last about an hour, followed by food and drink. All are welcome.
  • While you are working out, a GORUCK Tribe Kids Cadre will lead a D-Day WOD for kids nearby in line of sight.
RSVP HERE

RUCK NORMANDY SERIES

Choose from five distances: 80K, 26.2, 15 Miler, 15K, & Family Friendly 5K

RUCK NORMANDY SERIES —  The 80K takes you from one American Beach (Utah) to the next (Omaha), with hedgerows, churches, farm houses, and now monuments in between, and it concludes with what is in our opinion the greatest ruck on planet earth between Pointe du Hoc where the Rangers scaled the cliffs to Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery where the Americans took the heaviest casualties (portrayed in the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan). This, our favorite section of the route, is on every Normandy Ruck except the 5K.

How it works. Men carry 20# and women 10# (plus food and water) on their backs. The routes take you to the historic points, but it’s the time in between, and the time with the people you share this ruck with that will become your cherished memories of Normandy. Some folks join a team last minute, some teams combine for long stretches of the route, some folks decide to ruck it solo. There’s no wrong answer to any of this. To complete the 80K, we do recommend you up your mileage with a ruck on, starting now.

80K Ruck Normandy

Note: This is a one-way route and approximately a thirty-five minute drive from the end point back to the start - we recommend you coordinate with friends/family to carpool and stage cars at the end point. There will be plenty of food, drink, and celebration at the end point, and you’re welcome to take a load off and hang out. You’ll be exhausted.

SIGN UP HERE

26.2 Miler

  • Start Time: June 2, 2024 at 6AM (ends at 5PM)
  • Start & End Point: HERE
  • Route: See your route HERE

Note: Note: the 26.2 is a lot more reasonable than the 80K (requiring less training for most). You have 11 hours to ruck through some of the most scenic, and historic places on planet earth. It’s OK to take the full 11 hours, but most will finish earlier and get to the after-party a little sooner. There will be plenty of food, drink, and celebration at the end point, and you’re welcome to take a load off and hang out. You’ll be exhausted.

SIGN UP HERE

15 Miler

One-way route - participants are urged to coordinate with friends/family to carpool and stage cars at end point. Or you can just ruck back — it’s only 3.9km from Pointe du Hoc to the Team House.

Route: See your route HERE - you’ll get to know the stretch of land between Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach really well. This is, in our opinion, the greatest ruck on planet earth.

SIGN UP HERE

15K

  • Start Time: June 2, 2024 at 11AM (ends at 2:30PM)
  • Start Point: Parc de stationnement
  • End Point: Here
  • One way route - participants are urged to coordinate with friends/family to carpool and stage cars at endex. It’s a 20 minute drive from the end point back to the start point.
  • Route: See your route HERE

Note: this is the shortest distance that takes you along the route from Omaha Beach to Pointe du Hoc. If you’re in town for the 80th or ever, this is the ruck you want to make sure to do.

SIGN UP HERE

Family Friendly 5K

  • Start Time: June 2, 2024 at 12PM (ends at 2:30PM)
  • Start Point: Pointe du Hoc (parking lot)
  • End Point: HERE
  • One way route - participants are urged to coordinate with friends/family to carpool and stage cars at end point.
  • Route: See your route HERE
SIGN UP HERE

NORMANDY GORUCK CHALLENGES

"We had this part of the beach...yeah, we had the short end of the stick, this was the toughest beach. That's why I tell all people when you go up to the cemetery, walk to the English Channel, take a look out. I hope you're there at low tide so you can see what these guys had to come across. The reason why both of us are here today is because someone took a hit for us. The 400,000 Americans who gave their lives for this...they are the reason that all of us - I don't care where you come from - are here and have the success and peace and freedom we have now. You have to give it to that Generation. I want you all to remember that because we're not going to be around for a long time and you have to protect this world. We did it once and it's your responsibility to keep going."

  — A 99 year old veteran of Omaha Beach at the 75th Anniversary of D-Day

These Normandy Challenge are both team events and guided history lessons by Special Forces Veterans on the spots where the D-Day landings happened 80 years ago. You’ll smell the ocean air and feel the waters that awaited our soldiers as they stormed out of their Higgins boats. You’ll see the fortifications, the spots where machine guns were dug in, that our soldiers charged. This is sacred ground — books and movies can never do it justice.

Normandy Tough Challenge

  • Start Time: June 3, 2024 at 7AM (ends at 5PM)
  • Start Point: Omaha Beach Memorial
  • End Point: Team House
  • One way route - participants are urged to coordinate with friends/family to carpool and stage cars at endex. The start and end points are about a 20 minute drive away.
SIGN UP HERE

Normandy Basic Challenge

  • Start Time: June 4, 2024 at 7AM (ends at 12PM)
  • Basic Start Point: Omaha Beach Memorial
  • End Point: Pointe du Hoc
  • One way route - participants are urged to coordinate with friends/family to carpool and stage cars at endex - or at the Team House if you’re planning to come to the After Party (starting at 4pm).

Note: this ends at Pointe du Hoc at 12 noon. After a short break, the Light Challenge will commence at 1pm and it takes you back to the Team House for the start of the After Party, which is open to all (starting at 4pm).

SIGN UP HERE

Normandy Light Challenge

  • Start Time: June 4, 2024 at 1PM (ends at 4PM)
  • Start Point: Pointe du Hoc (parking lot)
  • End Point: Team House
  • One way route - participants are urged to coordinate with friends/family to carpool and stage cars at endex. You could just ruck back — it’s only 3.9km from Pointe du Hoc to the Team House — but we doubt you’ll want to miss any of the After Party, and who knows, your legs may even be a little tired after a week’s worth of events.
SIGN UP HERE