The last day of registration for the 1st Bataan Death March 102K Ultramarathon Race was yesterday, 16 March 2009. And the registration is defnitely closed and there will be no extension!
As expected, Filipinos are fond of “last minute” payments as most of the runners have already their respective reserved slot for the race. Yesterday, a record payment of fourteen (14) runners in a single day was accepted by Allied Bank and the BR’s office. I exempted the three (3) runners from Singapore for the last day of payment due to some problems with the bank transmittal. I informed them that I will accept their payments on race day.
Last September 2008, I planned this race to be limited to only 100 participants with the hope that only a handful would be interested to finally join the race. I was thinking that an attendance of at least 10-20 runners on race day would already be a sign of “success” and fufillment for me to introduce an ultramarathon event to honor and commemorate the historic WWII Bataan Death March with a challenging cut-off time of 18 hours.
To my surprise, the final number of participants for this race is already seventy-eight (78), including the foreign runners. There are five (5) female runners. The complete list of runners will be posted later today.
To all the participants and sponsors, thank you very much for your support.
All of you great athletes have much to be proud of and a job well done to all of you. Last year, April 8-9 2008, myself and my good friend Ariel Lesap from Panay Island marched this same route which took us 2 days. The heat and sun was relentless and how happy we were to put our hands on the 102 km. marker! So it astounds me to see your website ! Not only did you run it, you ran it in hours ! I am 50, but some of your ages are unbelievable ! Younger generations will be inspired by your run ! Thank you for bringing much needed awareness to Bataan and the infamous Death March where so many brave souls perished and still sleep beneath the hallowed ground of Bataan. God Bless you all,….Paul Dillon
Hi,
I am very thrilled to know that there is some kind of a memorial marathon for the Bataan Death March. I would however would like to make a couple of suggestion:
1. Make it a two day walk with a campout somewhere inbetween the start and the finish.
2. Create a foundation to honor the Bataan Death March participants in the Bataan such as erecting some kind of a monument and museum.
My father was a survivor and even before he passed away two years ago, could not discuss the details of the ‘death march’.
If this was made into a two day walk and advertised in the Philippines and the U.S., I’m sure that you will receive quite a number of applicants, including me and my family. I would like to walk my father’s walk and do it in his memory as well as his grandchildren. This can also help the economy of Bataan for it will need hotels and restaurants and maybe tour guides.
This is not to commercialize the horrific experience of those that walked to their death and those that survived but to let us, the living experience what they went through and how they dedicated their lives for Freedom, and what it stands for.
Thank you.
Terry Kelley
11611 New Zealand St
Cypress, CA 90630
I hope to hear from you.
Thank you.