The Team Captain Challenge
Build your
team to 11.
Bring your people. Run, walk, or ruck together in support of veterans, first responders, and their families. Your leadership deserves something worth wearing.
One captain. A shared purpose.
Bring your crew.
Friends, family, coworkers, or your local club: give them a reason to show up together. You don’t need a weighted backpack to participate.
Register & create a team
Sign up for Ruck 4 Freedom and create your team in Race Roster. Already registered? You can participate as the captain of an existing team.
Rally your people
Share your team link and ask participants to select your team when registering. The captain counts as one of the 11 members.
Reach 11 together
The first 20 teams verified to reach 11 eligible paid participants earn one exclusive shirt for their captain.
Already have members? They count. Existing and new paid registrations are eligible. Keep building your team through December 31.
Keep the momentum going
The largest team wins.
You’ve reached 11. Why stop there? Keep inviting your friends, family, and coworkers.
The captain of the largest qualifying team at 11:59 p.m. Arizona time on December 31, 2026 earns a $100 SCHEELS gift card.
Minimum 11 eligible paid participants, including the captain. Existing and new members count. All qualifying teams can compete for the gift card, including teams outside the first 20 shirt rewards. See the rules below for verification and tie-breaking.
Challenge details
Know the rules.
October 1–December 31, 2026. The challenge closes at 11:59 p.m. Arizona time.
Who can participate?
Captains must be at least 18 years old and registered for Ruck 4 Freedom. Existing teams and newly created teams are welcome. Each team has one designated captain eligible for rewards.
Which registrations count?
Existing and new paid participants in the 5K, 10K, and virtual divisions count. The captain is included in the team total. Each unique participant counts once and toward one team only. Complimentary, canceled, or refunded registrations do not count. Gift registrations count when redeemed into an eligible participant registration by the deadline. Donations and unused gift codes do not count.
How do captains earn a shirt?
The first 20 qualifying teams to reach 11 eligible paid participants, including the captain, earn one exclusive “Lead With Purpose” shirt for their captain. Existing members count. Teams already at 11 when the challenge opens are treated as reaching the threshold at the opening time; any tie affecting the first 20 rewards is resolved by which team reached 11 first in registration records. Eligibility is verified before rewards are finalized.
How is the gift card winner selected?
One $100 SCHEELS gift card goes to the eligible captain whose team has the most qualifying paid participants at the deadline, with a minimum of 11. If teams tie, the winner is the team that reached the tied final total first, based on registration records. No random drawing is involved.
What if someone joins the wrong team?
Contact ruck4freedom@gmail.com before the challenge closes to correct team assignments. All assignments must be correct by December 31 at 11:59 p.m. Arizona time. Participants cannot be counted toward multiple teams or moved between teams solely to increase reward counts.
When will rewards be delivered?
Qualifying captains will be contacted by January 8, 2027, after registration and team eligibility are verified. Shirt recipients will be asked for their size and shipping address. Shirts will be shipped directly to recipients, with delivery targeted before race day. If no team qualifies, the gift card will not be awarded.
Lead with purpose
Who’s showing up with you?
Help us reach 500 registered participants by the end of the year. Start your team, invite your people, and be part of Ruck 4 Freedom.