I completed this course in march 2011. It was my first marathon, I did NOT run this course, but I did finish the full 26.2 miles. From the head on, gale force winds to the hills, to the rugged terrain.....and that evil, evil 2 mile sand pit.......this course is the very definition of brutal.
I do want to do this again, after much more training, and I'd like to bet to the point where I can run it, but I'm damn proud that I even managed to finish it once.
Definitely one of the best experiences of my life.

This is one tough course, but it is appropriate for an event that aims to honor the suffering and sacrifice of the original Bataan marchers, sick with tropical diseases, malnourished, poked by Jap bayonets and shot if they stopped. The survivors one meets here will astonish you with their stories, told in a simple and humble style. This is a no whine zone, and when you see the old vets, as well as current ones, some on artificial legs, you will have difficulty thinking of your own pains.

This year's event was the hottest I have endured. You can expect chilly mornings, hot middays, high wind, and a tremendous feeling of accomplishment.

This is the only marathon event I will ever do, but I expect to continue as long as there are original vets to honor. The inspirational high one gets by doing this event is unequaled.

STAYING ON BASE
I got there Friday around 4pm. Not many people yet and I got a cot. Saturday the gym filled up and it was people everywhere. However, people were nice, got to shower and toilets. No lines, amazingly. I really recommend it because you'll be more likely to take part in all the learning activities, which is what this weekend is about. As one person said, 'it's a weekend long history lesson, followed by a tough marathon.
There were around a dozen survivors this year. Totally awesome to get to meet them.
My normal 4 hour time took me 5:03 and I finished #174. This is tough. I'll be back next year!

I ran the civilian light marathon in 2012. What a great weekend! I booked a hotel in Las Crucas early. Packet pick up (in processing) was planned with military precision. The start was easy to find with the huge US flag. The course was challenging. The hill, dirt roads, the painful sand pit at mile 21. Going down was hard as the trail was rolling up and down. I had to go off course around mile 18 because a blackhawk helicopter landed on the course (awesome). Did I mention that sand pit was really tough? The desert sun was bright but all aid stations were well stocked with water, electrolyte, bananas and oranges. I was in pain when I finished but nearly started crying when someone said 'there are some survivors that would like to congratulate you.' Amazing to shake hands with guys who survived the real desert march without aid stations. No Mamma, No Pappa, No Uncle Sam. I'll never forget this marathon event. BTW, my average marathon time is 4:15 and this one took me 5:30 - that sand pit was brutal.

This is the most demanding marathon I have ever done. Little hills, a great big hill, and then just to make it interesting toward the end a mile or so of soft sand. You start out at 3,300+ feet top out at 5,300+ feet about half way through and then go back down hill. The weather was perfect. Started out mid 50 degrees, by noon it was 81 degrees and by three o'clock just 85 degrees.

If you train for a regular marathon you are wrong. This demands everything and then some. Run on hills, long steep ones, run on crushed rock, firm sand run in the heat of the day. Do not be ashamed to walk.

It is amazing seeing the military heavy team running the course in uniform with 35 lb packs on and still finishing in 4 hours.

More than 7,000 people did the course, civilians, military, ROTC. Talked to people who have done it multiple time and plan on doing every year as long as they can run.

This event is something very special and very moving. Do if you can, do it, and Remember it is in Memory of the soldiers who did the Original Bataan Death March and lost 10,000 along they way

I have ran this course four times. Normally my times keep improving but this year I highly underestimated the toughness. It has an uphill that kicks your tail. And a sand pit that destroys you.

My husband and I raced in the heavy division (carrying 35#+ packs, he as military, me as a civilian), and my father-in-law hiked it as his 1st marathon (light category). While very difficult, it is friendly for beginners as the cut-off isn't for 13 hours. There's also a hamburger stand around half-way (carry cash)!

The first mile is on a paved road, but we started behind several hundred other runners/marchers, quite a few of whom are Wounded Warriors, marching on prosthetic limbs. I woke up sick with a migraine and couldn't find my medication, not even an aspirin. I have never wanted to DNS so much! Then I got to the starting line and lined up with old men who survived the Bataan Death March at the start of WWII, and young guys badly burned or missing arms and legs. I coudn't drop out just because of a headache!

Roughly speaking, 1/3 of the race is on asphalt, 1/3 on dirt road, and 1/3 on sandy paths. Lots of hills, some pretty steep. Terrible wind, amazingly bright sun. I wore sunglasses, a boonie hat, long sleeves, and capris for sun protection, and gaiters for the sand, but my legs between the capris and gaiters were tanned a dark brown.

The course is beautiful, and very remote, but there were enough racers at all abilities that nothing was particularly lonely.

I was well-trained for this event, although had run the Napa Valley marathon 3 weeks prior. I finished 5/72 all female heavy (military & civilian) racers, 3/29 all civilian female heavy, and 2nd in my AG  and all that with a time of 6:36 (I'm a ~4:00 road marathoner), so that gives the idea of the difficulty, at least with a pack. I would've been faster without it, obviously, but it's certainly not a fast course.

As for logistics, they are a hassle. Make your hotel reservations in Las Cruces early (like, a year out) so you can get a hotel on the right end of town. There aren't that many hotels in town, and they all fill up. We got one in January, but it was basically as far away from White Sands as it could be and still be considered in Las Cruces. (Even if you plan to camp out on the base, a hotel room for Sunday night would be good  its a long day.) If I were to do it again, I would plan to rent a van and just sleep in it parked ready to go near the starting line. There are locker rooms at the pool to use to shower after the race (for anyone, not just military), regardless of where you sleep. If you plan to sleep in the gym, bring a sleeping pad or air mattress, there were maybe 50 cots total. Also, arrive early (maybe 2 days early!) to get a good place staked out, and be sure to bring a sleeping mask and ear plugs. There is no sweat bag tent and nothing can be left unattended, they expect everything to be in the gym (roughly a mile from the starting line), the pool locker room (1/2 mile), or locked in your car. The Saturday night pasta dinner was suprisingly good, and well worth the charge. Arrive early for packet pickup, the lines are long. The packet pickup was the only thing not well organized and was a disappointment, definitely not up to Army standards.

The volunteers on the course were amazing, and there was plenty of water, toilets, food, and first aid. For the poster who thought that it wasn't friendly toward civilians, it's not that at all: the race is remote and is a hassle for everyone to get there. It's still worth it. Also, military life is just a different culture from civilian life, and one you may not be accustomed to. Roll with it, like you would if you went overseas for a race.

I was prepared for running this event. I slept in the gym and was proud to sleep on the floor with teams of ROTC and other military teams. 7 months of training on steep hills and 40 mile weeks. Not good enough. Nothing could prepare me for the the steady 35mph west wind from mile 7-9. I started out too fast and paid for it. I wound up DQ-ing and running the shorter 14.2 miler just to finish. No matter. It was all just fine. This isn't about personal glory. It's about honoring the greatest generation and seeing the young military men and women of today kick ass. I'll be back next year. One of the great experiences in my life. If you are looking for an easy 26 mier with a PR, do another event. If you want an experience beyond belief, do this one. You wont regret it.

This course no joke... to say that it's difficult is an understatement. Go for the experience and nothing else. No finisher's medal, no zoo-like atmosphere, and no spectators. It's humbling to see the military folks completing the event in full gear. I was a civilian light and I was broken... an interesting experience to say the least.

This was my first Bataan event. I've been wanting to do it since I read about in in Soldier Magazine as a young private in the early 90s. The high point was shaking hands with the survivors at the starting line. They introduced 14 who were present, and did an emotional roll call for several local survivors who had passed on in recent years.

The wind was very strong, although it seemed to die down after noon. There were times when it was blowing sand pretty hard. The course was just as advertised - tough and not for those who hadn't adequately prepared. Seeing the Wounded Warriors and heavy division marchers was very motivating. I did the civilian light division but will consider doing a heavy version next time. Support at aid stations along the course was second to none. Water, Gatorade, bananas and oranges at every aid station. A misting station at mile 10 that we passed again at mile 19. And a special touch was the aid station run by the Special Forces Association, who had ice in the drinks! That's how SF rolls, doing things their own way, and it was heaven sent.

Food at the end was great and also a nice touch. I didn't get a dog tag, but I saw them and like the coin I received much better. I had three first-time marathoners with me, and they all did very well on a tough course. I usually run marathons, but this is one that I enjoyed walking and will walk in the future. Walking took longer and helped me get a deeper appreciation for the survivors that were there, and the soldiers and airmen who were humping packs through the desert.

I'll definitely be back. A note on the logistics comments - WSMR is a remote post. Plan on spending some extra time getting there and all is good.