Bataan Death March 2008

The 2008 Bataan Death March commemerating the 1942 march of 90,000 to 100,000 American and Phillipino soldiers took place 2 weekends ago (March 30, 2008) at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Although we were not beat with bamboo canes, deprived of water, and left to die along the road, the episodes of blurry vision and loss of balance (signifying early heat exhaustion) as the 81 degree temperature and 35lb ruck sack beat down upon us was a sampling of what that terrible forced march across the Phillipines must have been like. (For more reading, try the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataan_Death_March)

A team of 2 orthopaedic surgeons, 2 orthopaedic surgery residents, and one anesthesiologist from Brooke Army Medical Center trained together for just over 3 months in an attempt to defend the title of Men's Military Heavy Champions (having one the event in 2007). Four of the five team members returned for this years event. Our training consisted of 7 to 21 mile ruck-march/runs weekly for 15 weeks. We won last year by a margin of 4 minutes and were successful in fending off the next closest team (ROTC team from Wyoming) by 40 seconds this year. The entire event is 26.2 miles in full military gear with water stations every 2-3 miles throughout the course. There is over 1500 vertical feet of climbs throughout the course and most of it is sand or hard-packed dirt. Strangely enough, there seemed to be more sand this year and less packed dirt. There is a notoriously difficult section at mile 21 which is a 400 vertical foot climb over a one mile stretch in beach sand (affectionately known as the "Sand Box").

We were able to gain ground in the sand box late in the day and eventually passed the second place team less than 2 miles from the finish line. They mounted an attempt at passing us in the final mile, but were denied and eventually settled for finishing as the second fastest team. We finished this year's race in 5hr 50min which was seven minutes slower than the previous year. It was also more than 10 degrees warmer this year which made the race exceedingly more difficult.

The winning team consisted of (from left to right): CPT Todd Feathers (second year orthopaedic surgery resident), COL Jim Ficke (staff orthopaedic surgeon), MAJ Craig McFarland (staff anaesthesiologist), LTC Dave Brown (staff orthopaedic surgeon), and CPT Elliott Vann (fifth year orthopaedic surgery resident).

Here is a link to pictures taken during the day: http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=32304&BIB=18&S=230&PWD=

Official race/event page: http://www.bataanmarch.com/

Results: http://www.arizonarunningeventsco.com/Bataan%20Teams%2008.htm

Future marchers in training as Mom insists that Zachary and Zoe begin pushing their own stroller at 17 months of age. Zoe was tireless. Zachary retired to his seat shortly after this picture was taken. Perhaps his uncle Aaron is rubbing off on him as he solicits every creature-comfort known to child and man.