Atomic Time Addiction: What's the Next Adventure You Ask?

Well Ron Horton did it to me again! He’s talked me into keeping the marathon-a-month alive! This time with an “adventure marathon” on the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico known as the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon. Should be a good warm-up run for our Big Sur California marathon in April.

Here's an example of the type of missiles test fired on White Sands Missile Range. Visitors and runners are warned they may encounter unexploded ordnance (UXO) while on site. I can't wait!!

The Line-of-Sight Antitank (LOSAT) consists of Kinetic Energy Missiles (KEM) and a second-generation FLIR/video acquisition sensor mounted on an air-mobile, heavy HMMWV chassis. This photo shows the LOSAT just after launch at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

The Course
• 26.2 miles!
• Desert trails and washes!
• 4,100-5,300 feet elevation!
• Rattlesnakes!
• Scorpions!
............................Check out that 7 mile pull!!

This particular marathon began in 1989 when the Army ROTC Department at New Mexico State University began sponsoring the memorial march. The more I researched the event, the more honored I am to be participating.

Here's a sample of what we'll be doing

From the Bataan Marathon website:

"The Bataan Memorial Death March honors a special group of World War II heroes. These brave soldiers were responsible for the defense of the islands of Luzon, Corregidor and the harbor defense forts of the Philippines.

The conditions they encountered and the aftermath of the battle were unique. They fought in a malaria-infested region, surviving on half or quarter rations with little or no medical help. They fought with outdated equipment and virtually no air power.
On April 9, 1942, tens of thousands of American and Filipino soldiers were surrendered to Japanese forces. The Americans were Army, Army Air Corps, Navy and Marines. Among those seized were members of the 200th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard.

They were marched for days in the scorching heat through the Philippine jungles. Thousands died. Those who survived faced the hardships of a prisoner of war camp. Others were wounded or killed when unmarked enemy ships transporting prisoners of war to Japan were sunk by U.S. air and naval forces".

Find out more details about this upcoming marathon here