I have heard about this event. It sounds fascinating....

What are the details?

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

www.bataanmarch.com

26.2mi on gravel, sand, with wind, snakes, etc...

march 21st. will do it for fun...just to do a very long run, nothing fast...(and no bagpack!)

Hi Francios,

I did it in 2002. They cancelled it last year as a bunch of the medics that staff the race from White Sands were deployed in Iraq. And believe me, this a race where they need lots of medics.

And yeah, I'm one of the not so bright that do it with the 35 pound backpack. It's brutal. I felt better after IMUSA this year than I did after the Death March.

It's a fascinating / tragic story though. For those that don't know, the real Death March happened in WW II. MacAurther's famous "I shall return" quote came as the US basically abandoned the Phillipines to fight on other fronts. US and Phillipine soldiers were starving, sick with malaria and fighting with essentially WW I weapons. They eventually surrendered - the first time US Forces had surrendered since the Civil War. The Japanese marched them to the POW camps some 70 + miles away in just unbelievable cruel conditions. Starving and hobbling, soldiers that couldn't keep up were shot in the head and left in the road. Tenney's My Hitch in Hell is a brutal recount of it. http://www.amazon.com/...s=books&n=507846 Hampton Sides has a much more uplifting book called Ghost Soldiers that was popular. http://www.amazon.com/...v=glance&s=books Both are well worth the read.

As far as the race goes, it's about 1/3 on ashphalt, 1/3 on dirt road, and 1/3 on sand. Some of the sand is ankle deep which is lots of fun. Aid stations are ok but somewhat sparse.

By far the most important advice I'd offer to anyone doing would be to have gaitors on over your shoes. Keeping the sand and small gravels out is paramount. Lots of people didn't have them and they were suffering early.

The coolest thing by a mile is at the end when they have real WW II vets that survived the real Death March put the medal over your head. Un freakin' real.

Highly recommend it if you can make it out.

Joe

Growing up in nearby Las Cruces, I have a lot of respect and seen a lot respect given for those honoring the soldiers who did the "first" march. In fact my wife and I planned on doing this for the first time (we live a couple of hours away) but have focused our efforts on our first tri's instead. Next Year! I highly recommend doing it, based on what people have said.

And I can't even contemplate doing it with the rucksack and boots, but it's fairly common.

Great review given above as well, I will take that advice on the shoe covers - makes too much sense to even debate.

Oh yeah, one of the reasons it is held here (from what I remember) is that a lot of the soldiers captured were from NM). And damn, I can't imagine doing a marathon for the fun of it - way to go.

Why would you do a marathon, other than for the fun of it?

I did it in 2001 with 3rd rgr bat. The Brits had been winning the heavy division for a couple of years in a row and we went there with the sole purpose of beating them. We did! It was awesome. When we crossed the finish line there were all theses survivors that made it through the actual Death March shaking our hands and telling us we were heroes. It was one of the greatest races I have ever done. Those survivors were incredible.

thanks all, should be a nice run...no intention to run hard at all, likely be 1h off my PB...just want to put a long run, with people around.

I've never done it, but my former girlfriend's father has a couple of times (ex Army Ranger). He used to take me out on the trails in Las Crucas heading up A mountain and over towards the Organ Mountains and these trails are very similar to what they use for the Bataan March. He runs them regularly, ruck sack and all. I believe he is doing it again this year, although he just got back from climbing Mt. Ranier last week. Look for a guy, late 50's that looks like Tom Bosely and say hi. If you slow down enough to listen he's always full of stories.

Be prepared for heat and low humidity and plenty of sand. Snakes shouldn't be a problem, maybe the odd jack rabbit, roadrunner or coyote.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

I'm familiar with the race here in the U.S. but is there a race in Bataan that covers the route of the original "Death March"?

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I don't know...
I am doing the one here in NM (white sands missil range).

You know, it is stories like that, that make me even prouder to be an American - and even more resolute in that I have no desire to travel outside of the best country on earth. It pisses me off that the idiot liberal jack ass Clinton told japan that were are "sorry about Hiroshima and Nagasaki"...screw Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where is OUR appology for Pearl Harbor and Bataan?

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

That would be a cool race. I understand there are survivors of the original march at the event too. Fascinating.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

yes. there are very few survivors still alive though. these guys come and they are the one giving out finishers medals.

"I am doing the one here in NM (white sands missil range).


Sounds lke a hoot. I lived on Holloman AFB as a kid. Remember the white sands well.

It's one hr away from home...so pretty convenient...

How are you feeling Francois?

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

stones are gone...so feeling much better...
mentally this week was tough...I was getting sorry for myself for not being able to race, but will race in France, so it's ok...no big deal...plenty of other races.

What race you doing in France?

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

will do Lorient (half IM june 13th) then IM France in Gerardmer, june 26th