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Apr 28, 2024

Bataan Memorial Death March Runner Comments

Back to Bataan Memorial Death March Information & Reviews

Course 4.7

Organization 4.7

Spectators 4.2

Number of comments: 115 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 12 > ]

Charles Kaski from Colorado (3/29/2018) "Running in the wrong direction" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Bataan Memorial Death Marchs COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 Following the first mile, several hundred people ran off-coarse and in the wrong the direction. The initial race leaders must or ran at least 2-3 miles extra. There must of been an error on the coarse not being properly marked on the first turn when the coarse transitions from running on asphalt to dirt. Several hundred people took a wrong turn on a road that hadn't been blocked off. I find this troubling especially considering that the race is held on a missile testing range! Additionally, when I asked for an adjustment to my overall race time, I was quickly denied and told that there was nothing that could of been done.
M. W. from AZ (3/27/2018) "Like running on the moon." (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Bataan Memorial Death March COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Hardest effort I've ever made but it's nothing compared to the poor guys we were all running in memory of. I recommend this race to anyone but caution that the sand, sun, wind all make it VERY challenging.
Chrystine Collins-Blums from Concord, NH (3/26/2018) "Not for the faint of heart but well worth it" (about: 2018) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Bataan Memorial Death March COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I marched the marathon with a 25 lb pack. I was in the military light with no weight minimum. I trained many months and knew what to expect but it is not easy to train for the conditions when you live in the snowy, cold northeast. The winds were extremely high here and there were three deep sandpits, one we went through twice. There are plenty of hills and one steep 7 mile incline. This is my first marathon event and I think it was very well run. Check-In took less than 10 and I had to change categories so that added a few minutes. I think the start up went well and for those who complained about the opening ceremony length, I am guessing most were not veterans/military. There was water, sports drinks,oranges and bananas every few miles. There was also a lot of medical support, and boarder patrol checking on anyone resting or walking along. Meeting 3 actual Bataan survivors, and falling in with some wounded warriors (I lost my glasses and it was dark - I am slow) gave new meaning to "shock and awe". I may not walk other marathons but this was a 16 year dream. The challenge, people along the way and meeting real heroes makes me ready to sign up again.
T. R. from Sparks, NV (4/23/2017) "EVERY year, more than a just another marathon." (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Bataan Memorial Death Marchs COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Naturally, every year is different - from training to shoes to weather - but the event itself is consistently the best experience of each year. In certain places on the course the terrain can be different due to the past year's weather. The number of survivors present at the morning roll call decreases. Presentations the day before the event add new bits and pieces to the history of the Pacific Theater in WWII, info that's just not included in our public school educations. More & more descendants meet and share their stories and searches. This year, more was revealed about the Filipinos and their roles. Furthermore, there's always ALWAYS the best 'support' from everyone pre to post event - especially the amazing volunteers on & off the course. Try it - and you too will say, 'Remember Bataan - Always'. For me, saying 'Thank you one & all', is consistently never enough, and neither is the phrase 'train well.'
D. F. from Albuquerque, NM, USA (3/20/2017) "Great!!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Bataan Memorial Death Marchs COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great event see you next year. Also, very challenging course.
E. M. from El Paso, Texas (3/20/2017) "Bataan I love it" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Bataan Memorial Death March COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Bataan was my first marathon, it was an awesome race and I love it.
Richard Albanese from Antioch, Illinois (3/22/2016) "Bataan . . . It's True . . . All of it!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Bataan Memorial Death March COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Wow...what an incredible whirlwind marathon experience! I highly recommend this race for 50 staters and others. I am so glad to have chosen it. So much more to cover here than most marathons so I will try to break it down. LOGISTICS - EXPO - BATAAN SURVIVORS If you are not local or within driving distance this race requires a bit more effort. I flew Saturday morning from Chicago to El Paso International Airport and quickly got a rental car and made the quick 40-50 mile drive directly to the White Sands Missile Range for packet pickup (tip: I was at a secondary entrance to the base that had a shorter line than the main entrance) Once gaining admission to the base and getting my pre printed parking pass stamped I made my way to the expo around 2:30pm. I learned the Bataan survivors had been there all morning and were no longer there but would be speaking in classroom settings between 3-5pm. I checked in quickly and opted for the framed certificate, coins and dogtag for $65, which was immediately done on the spot. (tip: you get a additional dogtag with chain that serves as your medal in this race in the packet. You do not give up that dogtag for the framing. Present and past custom coins are available for $10 apiece at the expo along with many shirts and hats. A special Bataan unit military coin without a year on it is also available for $8.75 at the nearby post store, which I purchased with a keyring to hang on my medal display with the dogtag) I quickly made my way to the building the Bataan veterans were speaking at and was able to hear several of them give inspiring speeches and Q&A sessions. Even if you arrived early to the expo to shake a survivor's hand I highly recommend attending this interactive personal presentation portion to truly appreciate the history of what these men endured not only through the torturous 60 mile march they were forced to do but also the years some spent in prison camps after the march. One man asked a survivor how they kept their hope alive for so long. The survivor deadpanned an answer 'If you lost hope you died, it's that simple'. After hearing the presentations it was close to 5pm which made me feel a bit rushed to leave the base to get to my hotel 30 miles away in Las Cruces and to eat. I noticed a lot of tents and RV's set up on the base which is an option as well as a gym that has limited space. Keep in mind the base is in the middle of the isolated desert so logistically you are looking at staying in Las Cruces unless you arrive perhaps Friday to secure a cot on the base. RACE DAY I rose at 3:00am and left for the base at 3:45am. The traffic jams later are well documented by others here as this is a race of 6,000+ participant marchers. I cruised into the base about 4:15am and napped in the car until about 5:45am. I then got my gear in order and headed to the start for the opening ceremony. What a mind blowing experience this was from start to finish. The color guard, the speech from the base commander and roll call of survivors as well as a helicopter flyover with the gorgeous mountain backdrop. The corrals were all well marked and organized with honorary then civilian light marchers then the military and heavy divisions. Having started near the front I still did not cross the start until 7:34am about 30 minutes from official start. A past civilian heavy participant told me they waited almost until 8:30 to get started. I did get a chance to shake hands with the survivors but if you chose not to you could have gone through faster along the side. The first few miles are crowded on regular roads and you really don't have room to run until about 4 miles in. That's where the trail and sand starts kicking in. The sand is best described as a pebbly rough sand. There are many you tube videos of the course, but they don't convey the full picture of this surface. I run 90% of my mileage on trails and found these conditions to be much tougher throughout. The sand is everywhere intermittently throughout the course. You are constantly trying to find that patch of harder ground to run on and never know when it will appear or disappear again. From about mile 8-12 you are on paved road again but it is a gradual tough incline upwards. Visually, it is not intimidating but you feel it and towards mile 19 when you go down it you REALLY appreciate more how steep it actually was going up! There are also hills and rocks interspersed throughout the course and the sand pit around mile 21 was tough, but there were many sand pit areas throughout the course so I didn't find it to stand out as much as I had expected. The course support was great with oranges/bananas gatorade and water at every station, although I strongly encourage your own hydration pack for this race. There is so much inspiration with the soldiers and wounded warriors around you also. Physically and mentally this was the toughest of the 19 marathon states I have done including the San Francisco Marathon, my prior toughest. It was incredible meeting the survivors a second time at the finish and I didn't miss the lack of medal here at all! A free post race meal was offered but I really wasn't feeling like looking for that building on the base so I left and headed back to my hotel in El Paso. My advice to 50 Staters and others is DO THIS RACE NOW! The survivors add such a personal touch and I think there were only 5-6 there this year participating many in their 90's.
Tyler Tippetts from Tulsa, OK (3/21/2016) "Everybody supplied the nutrients that I needed." (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Bataan Memorial Death March COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 It was my first time. I liked it. It was perfect. I'm going to do it again.
A. T. from Chicago (3/20/2016) "Hard race but so worth it" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Bataan Memorial Death March COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 The logistics: 1/2 hour from LaCruces (hotel right off 25) to Base; 2 hours to get through Security and through Expo (Saturday afternoon). Race morning: left hotel at 4:00, got to base at 4:30 (no line for cars! They didn't check IDs). They say to be at Start at 6:00 for 6:30 ceremony, but even soldiers were in porta potty lines during entire ceremony. Race starts at 7:00, but I didn't cross till about 7:25 (Civilian Light); shake survivors' hands at Start and Finish. Day was perfect; 42-62; no wind (so no blowing sand); wear gaters. Couple stops sprayed sunscreen. Aid stations were great lots of volunteers and plenty of water and Gatorade. Several stops had oranges//bananas; can buy hamburgers and hot dogs along course; very humbling to be running/marching (lots of sand) with soldiers in long pants with heavy backpacks. I suggest reading a book by one of the survivors ahead of time; I read 'My Hitch in Hell: The Bataan Death March' by Lester Tenney; really makes you appreciate what they (and the survivors at the start/finish) went through. Eight survivors this year; they're in their 90s now.
G. C. from Las Vegas, NV (2/26/2016) "This was tough and grueling, but worth the pain." (about: 2012) First Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I did this race with a group, in 2002, totaling five. Two of us finished. It was an honor to walk across the finish line and receive a medallion from a WWII veteran, who was actually there, in the real march.

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