Today Day 78: 3 miles: 2014: 416 miles
Being part of an event honoring the real Bataan Death March and meeting actual veterans. I have never participated in an event like this and everyone involved was so nice, supportive and encouraging. It was also extremely well organized.
It made me feel some of the hardships that the soldiers felt in the original but I did it by choice. They had no choice.
I’ve run in a lot of marathons. This was the toughest, especially the hill that I now refer to as Hell Hill. The wind that we pushed into up that hill was unforgiving. This event is not for the light of heart. The great thing about the march is that it helps you find a sense of community right in the middle of a desert.
This was by far the toughest marathon ever attempted. The support and management of this event was the best I’ve ever experienced. The high spirited marchers and the real survivors added a motivation and patriotic pride unparalleled. Keep up the spirit and the march WSMR!
Sunday morning was unforgettable, with the sun coming up, the flags waving, and surrounded by 3000+ people who are proud to be Americans and not ashamed to show it. People who knew just how important it is to say “thank you” – by action not just words. The most touching part was at the very start when one of the Survivors stood in the middle of the road, shook MY hand and said thank you to me! The course is fabulous. The “sand pit” was everything it was cracked up to be … Thanks for one of the best races I’ve ever participated in.
This was the first time I've ever attempted anything like the Bataan March. I thoroughly enjoyed myself...it was rough, don't get me wrong (I thought I would never get to the top of the biggest hill), but it gave me a sense of accomplishment, and of pride that I finished the course. Meeting the original March's survivors was a very humbling experience. They truly are awe-inspiring men. Standing before them, I really did not know how to thank them for their sacrifices, and for their courage in facing a merciless enemy. While I was shaking the hands of the survivors at the start/finish line, one of them looked at me and simply said "Thank You for being here". I have no words to express the emotion I felt at that moment. I will remember that for the rest of my life.
The hardest thing I've ever had to do, never have I had to reach deep inside my mind to accomplish something.
I truly believe that the march route was laid out by the devil himself. I don't mind increases in elevation, I've seen that before, but the absolutely horrendous deep sand was more than I had ever expected, and I thought I was pretty much acquainted with what to expect … I won't be back, but I want to thank you for a really self-fulfilling experience. I hope you keep this event going forever. The men truly deserve to be honored.
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