Bataan...In The Words Of Brandon Denham...

  When I started my training with my cousin clay I had no idea what to expect or what to do at that point. I was just doing it to support my cousin with no intention of competing in Bataan. After several rucks Clay brought up the idea of me joining him in New Mexico. I was very hesitant knowing that I had just started my training a few weeks prior. I gave it several weeks to think about my decision and decided to give it a go. I kicked up the seriousness of my training with my cousin, and a few weeks later Clay and I where on our way to meet everyone at Comal Crossfit. After a long drive full of laughs and music with some great company we made it Bataan.


         The day arrived and it all got real. We arrived at White Sands Missile Range, battled traffic and parked.  I didn't realized that a pre ruck march would be required just to get us to the starting area. Upon arriving, the site of possibly the largest American flag I've ever seen was the first thing in site.  The opening ceremonies where amazing to say the least, from the paratroopers to the mortar rounds. It was a cool but knowing what was coming was still on my mind. The time came to put one foot in front of the other. Our group worked our way through the pack to get started. Our foot chip activated and we were off.

Mile 1-7 was mostly uneventful for me, just mostly dust in my face, and dirt my shoes was all there was to speak of. The time came to attack the hill, I can't begin to tell you how much I underestimated the hill. It seemed to NEVER end. About mile 11 my right foot was starting to give me a lot of problems due to a blister the size of Texas. Why a waited till mile 14 to address the issue I will never know. It was probably because I wanted to get the hill over with. At the rest stop at mile 14, I swapped out my socks and shoes which made a huge but very temporary difference. The relief only lasted a few miles, and after that the suck never ended. From mile 14 to 18 was just a continues trek through loose dirt sand and rock with steep changes in elevation until you finally hit the pavement back down the hill.

Photo Taken by Brandon D. during Bataan. Mile unknown.

          At the following med/water station everything hit me at once from the dehydration and heat exhaustion that my cousin had been facing to seeing the various IV bags that others had been holding. This was truly a test of physical and mental strength. A battle that I watched my cousin beat the crap out of for the past 18 miles he showed that he was a damn beast,  never letting the hills and terra ferma get the best of him. We pushed through and hit the sand pit which is really just a sick joke, from a sick bastard that put it there. All I have to say to the sand pit is...(I edited the last portion, but you get the idea of how Brandon felt about the infamous Sand Pit. ~ Levi)

 Mile 21 arrived and I never saw the next marker, but I felt like I was going on for ever. I seriously thought they forget a few markers and the next one read mile 23 and a string of profanity flew out of my mouth that seemed to never end. Seeing the number 23 destroyed me mentally, but I knew that I had to keep going. At this point I had to change my stride so the pain in my feet would become less of walking on the surface of the sun, and more like walking though burning welding rods. Due to the change in my stride it increased the distance between me and my cousin which I didn't want, but I feel couldn't be avoided. I finally reached mile 25, and by the way seeing that you can go straight instead of making a u turn in front of water tower made me want to cry like baby, but I pushed on to the longest rock wall I have ever seen in my life, which finally arrived to a fence where I stopped to talk to the crew from Comal County. They told me to finish strong but I wouldn't do it alone. I waited there for my cousin to catch up when he did a few minutes later I told him I walked across the start line with you and I'm not crossing the finish with out you.

Brandon D. and his cousin Clay at the White Sands Museum the day before the race. Photo by Heather Hofstetter.

The race was done I finished in 8:28:06. I felt very proud of what I had just done, and even more proud of all the people that had joined in the fun. Mike, Tommy, Doc, Brandon, Jason and Levi; damn y'all killed it. Heather, you are very impressive. A tiny woman with a huge heart, carrying a huge ruck up a huge hill and never gave up. Your're a badass. Last but not least, Clay we never talked a lot growing up, but It was great getting to know you all over again. I thank you for everything you helped me through to make my goal achievable. You killed the course and everything that stepped in your way. You're a beast, and I love you. I'm proud to say you're family and my best friend.