Miles & Miles of Nothing but Desert

• From the start line (blue star at the south end of the map) the routes go counterclockwise.  The numerically-marked (1-12) blue drops indicate the water points. The red stars indicate medical stations.

• The 14.2-mile route is essentially the  lower portion of the 26.2 mile course.

• On the 26.2-mile course, the route proceeds northwest from Water Point 4/8, circling a small mountain known as Mineral Hill.  Returning to Water Station 4/8, marchers travel south along the paved road covered earlier in the route.  The course then veers west along dirt and sand trails, coming up the backside of the White Sands community and returning to the finish line.
   
  The area know as the "Sand Pit," featuring deep sand, comes after Water Station 9.  But, be aware, the dirt trails elsewhere along the route can be sandy and dusty as well.  This is particularly true of the stretch between Water Station 1 and Water Station 3.

Course Comments

• I've done 17 marathons - this was unreal.  I wasn't prepared for the sand.
   
• I wasn't prepared for all the loose sand - many miles of this and a lot of it uphill.
  
• This course was nice due to the dirt.  Not much pavement to pound the feet and joints.
   
• I was shocked as to how difficult walking 26.2 miles could be.  I've been on a lot of forced marches but none were harder than this.
  
• Training for this course like a regular marathon doesn't quite do the trick.  I should have done a lot of hiking, hills, rough terrain type training.

Elevation Profile of Bataan Memorial Death March