Bataan Death March

[canman]

http://www.bataanmarch.com/
Has anyone here done this event? I haven't run a marathon for years, all I do now is 10 miles three times a week. One of the guy's in my Truck Company want's to try this. It's not running but 35 lbs. in the desert for marathon distance seems like it should be more challenging than running. Anyone have experience?

 

[ckirkc]

my roommate did it one year. his team took home the hardware on that one. won it. it is a huge suck fest though! the course is challenging, and if you want to place well plan on running most of it. they won the heavy div with an avg speed of about 5mph.

 

[rdgshooteer]

i never did it but know quite a few people who went and did it since the 31st Infantry at Ft Drum will send at least a team every year in honor of the battalions history with the death march. I know in between the tryouts and train up they will usually spend a few months preparing for it and usually work on trying to run the whole thing. Everyone I know that went enjoyed it.

 

[canman]

I wasn't planning on running,hell I thought just walking it would be tough enough. I've been extending my distance running up to 12 - 15 miles and walking five miles every other day with a 50 lb. vest. There is still plenty of time to train but running with 35 lbs. might not happen no matter how much I train. Thanks for the input.

 

[fdkay]

I did a round trip on my bicycle once from Olongapo to GuaGua, Pampanga and back again. Covered a good section of where the march actually took place.
Can be rough terrain there in New Mexico, but they sure don't have the humidity they do in the Philippines.

 

[HOGWILD]

White Sands is a tuff place just because of the sun and the temps, I have done an Oryx hunt and that took me all over the range and it seems they have a 25% drop out rate due to ankle injuries alone? I can see why they have that as being an x mountain biker here in NM some of the trails I am sure are steep and rocky and when you are tired I am sure your balance will be off and thus ankle injuries occur! Also please leave all snakes alone as I am sure you will see them early in the am out staying warm on trails and if it's bright green and short it's probably a Mojave Green and please leave them alone as they are aggressive like a water moccasin but one of the most toxic snakes found anywhere! One of my Classmates in High School's Father was a member of this March and survived but lost part of his leg during it ! I have been to Camp Odonnel where the March ended as we had a F4 strafing Range just down the road from it in the mid to late 80's ! They sent me to Marshall Aircraft as we had a bunch of C130's landing on dirt strip there! Also as mentioned NM dry heat is to be respected as heat stroke has almost gotten me and I have lived here since 1992! If ya make it to the end say a Prayer for my friend James Domanski or if ya want to just say it anyway ! Not very far from Trinity Site so watch your Gieger counters!

 

[Tamoby]

The march is a tough one. I did military heavy team in '08. It was a great time (looking back on it). Getting to see a few of the actual survivors of Bataan was the great.

A couple of miles into the even you'll hit a very long, seemingly endless hill before you turn off the road and head around the mountain. By the time you come back around to the road they'll have a mist wall set up part way down it. Enjoy it, because once you hit the moon dust, you'll hate life for a few miles.

It's worth doing at least once in your life! Also, don't forget your beer ticket in your truck like I did!

 

[Rattler56]

There's a great book on it called Tears in the Darkness by Michael Norman.

 

[Alpine 338]

When I was a Teenager, our next door neighbor was one of the guys who survived the original Bataan Death March. I now wish I had spent more time with him learning what he went through during the war.

 

[Honky]

For those of you east of the Mississippi, there's a similar event in Gatlinburg. Actually, the same thing other than the terrain.

Mountain Man Memorial March

 

[griff383]

I did the memorial one while stationed in Korea back in 05, that is only a half and is used for a qualifier for the one in White Sands. Most of our platoon trained for it several months in advance and we did ok but no where near winning. Dont get me wrong we still finished well ahead of most of the pack but I know we could have done better. The previous evenings rain and morning freeze didnt help out much but watching my buddy go end over tea kettle was pretty funny. After talking with some of the guys that did real well it was apparent that we didnt train nearly as hard as we should have or have the right gear. That 35 pounds takes a toll after a bit so make sure you carry it as comfortable as possible and pad your boots as best you can. Best of luck to you

 

[Deleted member 10043]

As an aside, my 92 year old mother lives in a rest home about a mile from the house. I was over there the other day and they brought in a gentleman that is one of the last surviving members of the Bataan Death March and hostile captivity for the duration of the entire war. This is the end of the road for this man. A 50 bed nursing home facility. Likely on Medicaid, which means his life savings were spent down so he could get care. Most people don't realize this but New Mexico suffered the highest military casualty rate per capita by state during WWII because a large number of her National Guard was stationed in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked and there was no way out. At the time the war broke out New Mexico's entire population was about 550,000.

 

[badmutha6]

I live in El Paso and completed the half. Its horrible, the weather isn't much of an issue but there is alot of soft sand. I did it for my great uncle, who died in the prison camp after the March about a week before it was liberated. It is run extremely well though and was a good time.

 

[brusky21]

I've done it. I did team heavy and we took 2nd place. If you are looking to train up I have an excellent regimen I can share with you on google doc

 

[chipsfan]

I've done it. I did team heavy and we took 2nd place. If you are looking to train up I have an excellent regimen I can share with you on google doc

Did you run it or hump it?

 

[brusky21]

We maintained a 9:30 pace for the first 11 miles then walked most of the elevation gain and ran the down hills. Unfortunately, one of our guys got nasty leg cramps around mile 16.

 

[canman]

I've done it. I did team heavy and we took 2nd place. If you are looking to train up I have an excellent regimen I can share with you on google doc

That would be great. I've increased my distance to 60 miles a week and have been walking with a 50 pound weighted vest. Haven't put the two of those together for more than a couple of miles at a time though.

 

[steve-oh]

I would love to do Bataan but work always gets in the way. If you do it post pictures and stories man. Let some of us live vicariously through you.

 

[canman]

Will do

 

[Doc Mongo]

I did this several years ago. Didn't train nearly enough, and even though I went without the 35 lb ruck, it was an ass kicking. My feet were wrecked for about a week, but it was a good time. There will be water stations every few miles - stop and top off even if you still have some H2O on you. Don't wear any rings or wristbands/bracelets. You're going to swell quite a bit, and it will hit you at about mile 15 - you realize your hands are all of a sudden HEAVY. Fluid shifting into the interstitial spaces (can't remember why it does, just that it does).

Take a lot of pics. You'll want to remember this one!

Good luck, and have fun

 

[brusky21]

Ok I have finally been able to respond to all those wanting a plan. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate the spreadsheet with the specifics, but a team mate put together a pretty comprhensive email with tips and our general training outline.