Regularly moving your body with additional weight can strengthen your muscles, increase bone density, support your cardiovascular system. It’s a great way to challenge your body while moving at a slower pace, which can be easier on your joints. For Ruck Cancer, an added benefit is that you’ll feel like a rockstar for helping raise money to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses through Make-A-Wish Arizona.

You can read about the inspiration for Ruck Cancer on the About page!

There are two locations - one in the office building directly next to the staging area and one at Arizona Falls just east of the light at 56th street (about 1 mile into the walk).

There’s plenty of parking immediately surrounding Arcadia Gardens and the office complex next door. Any covered or uncovered spot is fine. We just ask that you avoid parking in the parking spots with signs that say reserved.

This is totally your call based on your comfort, desired pace, and level of training. Keep in mind that 4 miles will require continual movement for an hour or more for many people. If you’ve never done this type of exercise before, you’ll likely want to start light as even light weights can start to fatigue your muscles over a long distance. Here are some general guidelines: beginner (0-7lbs), intermediate (7-15lbs), advanced (15-25lbs).

Yes, yes, and yes! It’s intended to be taken at whatever pace your body needs. Traditionally, rucking prioritizes heavy weight and long distance over speed, but this is a fundraiser for any and all people. If that means running with no weights, go for it. If it means going heavy and walking at a measured pace, that’s great too. You do you!

Get creative! A weight vest will be a common - and potentially more comfortable - option, but there are plenty of other ways to participate and make your movement more challenging. Put a dumbbell or gallon of water in a backpack. Strap on some ankle or wrist weights. Carry a child. With that said, if you do want a weight vest, there are lots of relatively inexpensive options online.

Signing up requires two, easy steps. First, go to Eventbrite to secure your tickets so we can anticipate how may people will be joining us. Then, in lieu of a registration fee, make a tax-deductible donation to Make-A-Wish via the official Ruck Cancer fundraising page. Every dollar from registration goes directly to helping grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Yes! Feel free to bring your kids. If you don’t want to commit to the full four miles, there’s a natural turnaround point at the light at 56 street about 1 mile into the walk - or you can turnaround at whatever point suits you.

We will be exercising along the Arizona Canal, starting right next to the staging area around 48th street until about 63rd street - and then we will turnaround and head back. We will make sure it’s clear where the turnaround point is. It will be a total of 4 miles.

Yes! Because this is a grassroots fundraiser, there won’t be any special accommodations for our group like canal or road closures. We will use the canal alongside the general public so please be respectful of others you encounter along the way. If you want to encourage any random passerbys to donate at ruckcancer.org, we wouldn’t hate it…

Yes, there is one light at 56th street that we will encounter on the way out and back. Because this is a grassroots fundraiser, we won’t have any police presence to adjust traffic in this area, meaning you’ll just have to suffer like the “normal people” and wait it out. The good news is it’s a relatively short light (we’ve clocked it at less than a minute of waiting). Please respect all traffic laws and signs to avoid hurting the Ruck Cancer reputation, or you know, getting a ticket.

To avoid expenses that would take away from our donation total, we won’t be giving away any free merchandise. However, we are producing a limited number of Ruck Cancer coins (inspired by military “challenge coins”) for purchase to commemorate the first year of the event, with a portion of each sale going to Make-A-Wish. We hope these coins will become a collectible that people are eager to purpose each year to support the cause.

We will have a DJ and potentially some local businesses/vendors on hand to ensure the vibes are high before and after the workout.

Yes please! While we are sorry you can’t join us, we welcome you to support the cause. Please feel free to donate at the Ruck Cancer fundraising page for Make-A-Wish Arizona. We just ask that you don’t sign up via Eventbrite since that’s being used to track on-site attendance.

I’ve been fortunate to have some friends in the community step up to help along the way since this is my first ever fundraiser/event. Josh Walker, a former ASU teammate, Lululemon ambassador and creator of Phoenix Run Club, has been my main collaborator and a huge help throughout the process. He believed in Ruck Cancer from the beginning and has donated his time and expertise to help make year one a success. He’s also generously offered for Phoenix Run Club to be the presenting sponsor, helping offset some of the operations costs. Other sponsors and supporters include: Lululemon Ambassador Abbey Yoder, AJOY Studio, Caitlyn How (Photography/Videography), Koa Pediatric Therapy, and Jax 3D Printing (collectible challenge coins).

Make-A-Wish changes the lives of children with critical illnesses - many of whom have cancer. Many wish alumni credit their wish experience with helping them manage and overcome the stress, anxiety, hopelessness, and fear that come with a critical illness. Medical professionals also say that a wish can play an important part in the healing process and lead to better health outcomes.

Personally, Make-A-Wish is a cause near and dear to my heart. My best friend’s daughter who inspired the idea for Ruck Cancer received a wish to go to Walt Disney World Resort following her cancer treatment, and I’ve worked for Make-A-Wish in several different roles over the last 14 years.

Also, many people don’t realize this, but Make-A-Wish was founded in Phoenix in 1980. We should all be incredibly proud to have one of the most-loved and best-known nonprofits started in our backyard.

Now, let’s raise some money to make more wishes possible!