The Bataan Memorial Death March is, as they say more than just a marathon… it ‘honors the thousands of heroic service members who defended the Philippine Islands during World War II, sacrificing their freedom, health, and, in many cases, their very lives.’ Joe, Colonel Nye, Sefra Alexandra, Erica Walker, Marion Abrams and Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Frank Grippe embarked on a sojourn to honor the men that exhibited true grit to their bone marrow. The 26.2 mile ruck through the White Sands Missile Range brought with it sweat, crippling dehydration, pain so excruciating it caused dry retching… yet in comparison to what these veterans had been through (as told by Death March Survivor Dan Crowley on Spartan UP! Podcast Episode 229) this was just a walk in the park. Walking alongside OEW, thousands of men women and children- our frame of reference was once again shifted. What the body can endure is extraordinary and the experience of rucking through the gorgeous yucca-clad landscape with beans on head, smiles on face and laughter in the belly- once again proved that friendships are only made stronger when you get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Lessons:

· Colonel Nye dehydrates faster than a camel drinking saltwater
· Joe needs a backpack sponsor
· Erica Walker needed a walker at the airport
· Marion secretly ran more than all of us with more weight
· Frank Grippe needs to buy a scale
· Sefra should get sponsored by Goya
· The men that survived and died in this march should never be forgotten