After Andrew Staruk ran the 26.2-mile Tough Ruck Marathon while wearing a 39-pound rucksack last year, he was invited to do a “Double Unicorn” challenge: rucking the 2026 race and running the Boston Marathon the next day. It would be a physical and mental test for most.
“I’ve never been a big runner,” Staruk said.
But he decided to go for it. This year, the Worcester firefighter and Air Force veteran is running the two back-to-back races. He’ll carry 18 ribbons with names of fallen firefighters, including The Worcester Six who died in the 1999 Cold Storage and Warehouse fire and Capt. Jason Couture who passed away in February.
Tough Ruck 26.2 Boston, a race to honor fallen military and first responders, is held in partnership with the Boston Athletic Association and Boston Marathon in Concord on April 19, the day before Marathon Monday.
By taking the challenge, Staruk is raising $15,000 for Military Friends Foundation. The foundation provides financial aid to support military families.
His goal is to complete Tough Ruck, with a 15-pound rucksack, in 6 hours 30 minutes, and four hours 20 minutes for Boston Marathon.
Staruk, who usually trains for rucking and running on consecutive days to prepare his body for strain, said the biggest challenge is recovering after the first day’s rucking.
His wife, daughter and other family members have provided tremendous support as he has struggled to balance work, family and training. On both race days, his family will stand on the course and cheer him on. “It’s been hard on the family, but I can’t wait to do this, and I know there’s a lot of support.”
Staruk left the Air Force in 2013 and was “looking for something that was just as meaningful that I could do for a career,” he recalled. He joined the Worcester Fire Department in 2016. This year marks the tenth anniversary of his service.
His experience being in the military and the fire departments has taught him about the meaning of brotherhood. “You always know that even if you don’t like someone, you always have their back,” Staruk said.
“When you’re on that fire ground or you’re out doing whatever you need to do for the military, you come together. You’re there to support each other, you make sure you get the job done no matter what.”
At the fire department, Staruk and others always know that they are ready to step into danger to help people get through their most difficult days, from fire to medical emergencies.
The names he carries along the course are a reminder of who he is rucking for: fallen heroes and the families they left behind.
“What I’m going through in two weeks for two days of work is nothing compared to what these families have to go through,” he said.
