San Antonio Outdoor Adventurers

www.bataanmarch.com
White Sands Missile Range, NM 88002

Everything you need to know about this hike is in the link. There is a fee and it goes up on January 1st so early registration is recommended. Everything below is bonus material specific to the prior experiences of this Meetup Group. This is a memorial event. I encourage you to read the correspondence in that link about the real Bataan Death March. When you are trying to complete our symbolic march, you may find yourself wanting to quit. Knowing what they went through and comparing it to what we have voluntarily committed to doing in an 8 hour day should provide you the motivation to continue.

The Bataan Memorial Death March is an annual event that occurs at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This year’s event occurs on March 21, 2026. I will be posting some longer hikes to prepare us for this hike of either 15.6 or 26.4 miles. A group of us completed the hike last year. Every one of us who attended one or more of the practice hikes completed the course last year without disqualification.

Most of us will need to start getting some mileage on our boots to get ready. If you have completed a road marathon, that does not mean you will be ready. The course is a combination of paved road, gravel road, dirt trails and loose sand. There is some elevation on this course as well. I was not ready for the 2 miles of sand pit or the 2 miles of loose dirt that preceded it and to my surprise, the course made the full marathoners repeat that part twice last year.

Remember, New Mexico is in the desert. It might be 40 degrees in the morning but could be 100 degrees in the afternoon. If there is wind, the sand and dust will blow in your face. There is absolutely zero shade on this course. You need a backpack, hiking shoes/boots that are broken in, sunscreen, bug spray, sun protective clothing, sunglasses, face protection, a water bladder or multiple water bottles, and snacks. Additionally, it might be good to carry an extra pair of socks and maybe shoes, first aid, and possibly a jacket or raincoat. It’s going to depend on the weather that day and how much you can carry. Bring it all and then choose what you are going to have in your backpack the morning of the March. As we get closer to the event you need to check the weather at the missile range, not where you are staying.

I will not be coordinating any travel arrangements, but an overnight stay will be required due to mandatory race packet pick up being on Friday. After the race, you might want to stay the night to rest up or take in a sunset at White Sands National Park if you have never been there. There is a small window of time to pick up that packet. Without it, you will not be able to race. If there is an emergency you can ask somebody else to pick up your race packet but if you are not staying in the same town then it might be difficult to set up an exchange will would need to occur BEFORE you get on base for the race.

Most folks last year stayed in Las Cruces and there was an extraordinarily long line of traffic to get onto the base and into the race. You will need ID to get onto the base. I stayed in Alamogordo and race entry was quick and easy. I will probably stay there again. Some folks even flew into and stayed in El Paso which is further away.

Please message me that your have completed your registration and let me know if you are doing the full marathon or the honorary. Nobody gets shamed in this Meetup so choose the distance that is right for you. If you sign up for the full marathon and find you are not ready by the time that date approaches, you might be able to change your registration at the packet pick up or vice versa. Your bib or bracelet has a tracker. They can tell if you skipped a part of the course due to tracking and camera stations throughout the course. If you cannot make it there will be trucks that come by to pick you up.

There is either a water/snack or aid station every two miles. Use their water to save yours. If you have a bladder, bring an empty water bottle to use the water of your bladder breaks. Know your body and be careful of heat injuries and blisters. Use the aid stations if you feel funny or experience cramping or signs of blisters. Finally, we will all try and find each other before the opening ceremony to take a picture and start together but everyone has their own pace. Choose the pace that is right for you.

If you need hiking poles, then bring them. If trail running shoes are better for you than boots, wear them. If you want to wear short sleeves and shorts instead of pants, then bring sunscreen. I can tell you I rarely hike in pants or long sleeves but I wore both and a wide brimmed hiking hat for the entire duration of the marathon due to the full sun and because I was afraid sand would skip into my shoes. I used hiking poles. That being said, I had zip off/convertible pants and I brought some gaiters for the sand. I did find myself switching out of my hiking shoes during the last mile of the race. We had great weather last year (nice and cool but full sun and a little breeze) but that’s not always the case.