4-24-08 Update

I don’t know what you have heard about this year’s race so I’ll do my best to bring you up to speed on how it all went. The weather leading up to race day was near perfect all week long and that bit of information will come into play as this update continues. The race has always been on the last Saturday of February and this year was no exception. The announcement had been made early in the year that there would be no registration on race day or the day before therefore making Thursday the last day to register and be an officially registered entry. Also the race would be capped at 800 entries this year to help plan a better event for everyone. Late Thursday evening the entries were counted and finally all in the system and the count was exactly 800. Unbelievable that we hit it right on the head.

Friday morning came early and there were plenty of loose ends to tend to. The finish line area in Coral Bay requires many hours and many hands to prepare for the 800 expected finisher on Saturday morning and all that goes with that part of the day. By the time I finished everything up and got home it was 8:00 PM and I had 27 messages waiting for my reply. 26 of them were people wanting to now register for a race that had sold out the day before. One of the calls was a person that needed to know if they were going to be able to get out of Coral Bay on Saturday morning to make a ferry boat to St. Thomas and eventually make a flight to the states. Their call was the only one I returned that night to assure them that they would be able to drive up the hill and make their way on to North Shore Road and on into town. The other 26 calls were deleted as it would have taken me more than an hour to tell them all the bad news. I needed to settle down and get rested for what would be the largest attended road race ever in the Virgin Islands. With that said you need to realize that everyone who lives locally has had seven weeks (since January 1st) to register for this race. Those coming from the states or beyond have had since early October (via online service) so in my eyes there are no excuses from anyone. My team and I have made it very easy for the entire world to register and officially be a part of 8 Tuff Miles.

For me Saturday starts at 2:30 AM with a cup of coffee and a hardy breakfast. I slept about 4 hours and that’s not bad as I have somehow done race day with less sleep in past years. Even with the hundreds of volunteers that are there on race day I still feel like there are something’s I must do to just know they are done. By 6:00 AM I have been to Coral Bay and back to Cruz Bay making sure everything is in order and now the Cruz Bay Volunteers are in place and months of planning are paying off with crowds of people filing in and preparing themselves for the next 8 miles of their lives. At 6:50 AM the chartered ferry boat full of St. Thomas entries arrives in the Cruz Bay Creek and 212 people step off and flood the area. With that the day begins to brighten but there are clouds in every part of the sky and it feels like rain. The local Cub Scouts bring up the color guard which this year included the flags of the England, Scotland, Canada and the BVI as we have entries from outside the United States and I felt it is important to recognize them. Our national anthem was sung and soon after that the newly appointed Chief of Police drops the bright orange flag to start the 12th Annual St. John Gatorade 8 Tuff Miles Road Race. A sea of athletes fill the downtown streets and make their way up to Center Line Road as all vehicle traffic is stopped or re-routed for the next three hours. Soon after we (yes, I am an entry too) make our way up the hill there is water and Gatorade waiting for everyone, eleven water stations in all. Thirty minutes into the race it begins to rain and it doesn’t show any signs of stopping. For now we are all enjoying the coolness of what will be the most rain, “race day” has ever seen. Personally I managed to pull off a time of 1:13:16 placing me in the top 100 finishers this year and I was very happy with that.

The rest of the morning sees 726 entries cross the finish line, 74 no shows. As far as I know, all that started this year’s race eventually finished. Last place was just under 3:00 hours. Bottom line, everyone had a great time despite the weather, actually people enjoyed the fact that the rain kept it cool. At 4:00PM that afternoon about 200 people gathered near the starting line area for the award ceremony which began with live music and was followed with the presentation of the 84 age group trophies, the Best Water Station trophy, Overall Male and Overall Female trophies, the youngest male and youngest female award and then the college scholarship funds totaling $4600.00. The weather was dry by then and again it is important to say one more time, everyone had a great day.

By Monday morning the Daily News had filled the back page of the newspaper with an 8 Tuff Miles story.( By the way the back page of the Daily News is the same as the front page of the Sports Page). The local television station, TV 2 dedicated the entire 4 minute of the weekend sports to 8 Tuff Miles and at the end of the sports section added that they would catch up with the rest of sports from that weekend during the rest of week. (To me that was HUGE coverage). The St. John Sun Times who is the Official Newspaper of 8 Tuff Miles filled the pages with a color photo section and updates of the event in their next release.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my recap of the weekend that made Virgin Island history and next year’s planning is now less than 6 months off although my thoughts are focused on the economy and how it will affect this event. The next couple of years could be without frills but we will have a race no matter what the economy deals us.

All the best,

Peter

1-29-08 Update

Each day when I wake up my first thought is, how many days have I got to finish putting this (the race) together? Today that number was 25. The past few days have flown by so fast its mind boggling. This past Saturday was the 2nd Geiger Tuff Tune –up training run which took us from the 3 mile mark on up to Château Bordeaux Restaurant. Only 2 ½ miles but a very hilly section of the course. About 35 runners and walkers showed up as well as the timing crew from the St. John School at Gifft Hill, the VIPD, and some friends to work a couple of water stations along the way. We got started on time, and it all went smooth, a good dress rehearsal for race day. Now we just have to time all of that by 20 or more and we’ll have 8 Tuff Miles.

The on-line registration is going well with over 135 registered entries from all over the US and now 4 from the UK and one from Canada. Please keep in mind and help me by telling others that on February 9th the on-line registration will end. That’s only 11 days from now and for those who procrastinate you are going to make a big mistake if you wait much longer. I would hate to see someone fly in to the Virgin Islands from the states at the last minute and not have a bib number assigned to them. So again if you know someone who is planning and training to do 8 Tuff Miles it’s time for them to register.

This coming Saturday will be the second,”Litter Patrol “.The way in which this works is you can help clean house before the big day. Pick a spot anywhere along Centerline Road and just pick up any litter along the way. As a result we will have a clean race course on race day and show off to our hundreds of visitors that we care.

The weather this past weekend was perfect. Saturday morning for the tune-up run it was cool and clear. Sunday morning was much the same as I headed out of the house for the starting line. During the short ride to town I immediately realized the clutch in the truck was failing and nursed the old girl into town where I managed to park it. (For those who drive a stick shift you can imagine the difficulty of parking without the use of a clutch). Knowing there was nothing I could do about it at 6:30 in the morning on a Sunday I stretched and focused on my run and soon headed up the hill and on my way. I thought about the perfect weather conditions I was having for this run and wished I could order up a day just like this for February 23rd. I successfully trimmed another minute from my total time and once in Coral Bay started thinking, “OK what am I going to do about this truck situation”. I also realized I was lucky it wasn’t the week leading up to race day when I need to be so mobile each day. I did drive the old gray ghost back home. My days of driving tractor trailer trucks and knowing how to not use a clutch paid off as I maneuvered through the neighborhood. Long story short I made some calls Monday morning and lined up a friend with mechanic skills and tracked down a clutch kit in St. Thomas and hopefully I will be mobile again tonight. The race director of any race needs to be in many places everyday and I can’t run to all of them.

Also on this past Sunday afternoon the Friends of Virgin Islands Park had their annual meeting featuring Governor John P deJongh as the keynote speaker. I attended the gathering and after the meeting the governor casually met with the attending public. I introduced myself to the governor telling him I was the race director of 8 Tuff Miles and asked if he knew of the event. He admitted he had heard about the race the last couple of years and I could tell he was interested in what I had to say. I explained to the governor that each year someone from the community drop the flag at the start of the race to send the runners on their way. I then asked him if he would like to be that person this year. His eyes swelled large and he said yes he would and in the same breath asked what the date of the event was. After telling him the date he then quickly told me he was going to be in Washington DC that weekend and therefore would not be able to attend. I continued to talk about the race and all of the other activities that have spawned from 8 Tuff Miles over the years while the governor listened to me. I mentioned that there were well over a hundred stateside entries already signed up for this year’s race and that this number would grow to 200 before race day. That we had college scholarship funds and that we were providing a litter free course on race day. I used my analogy about having a party at your house. I asked the governor if he was going to have a party at his house what would he do before time and his answer was, “clean the house”. I then told him that’s exactly what we do. I’m sure I had his attention for a few minutes and knowing now he was not going to be able to attend on race day that was my plan,”B” to have his attention for a few minutes. This guy gets bombarded with questions, concerns, comments and requests every time he steps out the door and I realize that comes with the job and that’s what he has to deal with daily. I spent three minutes talking with Governor deJongh about 8 Tuff Miles and it’s interesting to me where running has taken me over the years. The people I have met range from other race directors to four time NYC Marathon Champions to the little kid that just won her first race and everyone in between. As a community we have turned some heads with 8 Tuff Miles and I hope this continues for many years to come.

I’m going to wrap this up by saying this, make the necessary changes in your community and make a differents while you still can. If you feel good about something bulldoze ahead at full steam.

See you all soon,

Peter

1-20-08 Update

Failure to plan is a plan to fail. With that said and now less than five weeks until race day everyone should know exactly what is expected of them on February 23rd. If you are an entry you should know that the race is scheduled to begin at 7:15 AM whether you are there or not. In other words if you set your alarm clock for 5:30 AM and decide to shut it off or throw it across the room when it starts buzzing or beeping, we are not going to wait for you. My goal for this year’s race is start on time and I would like my planning efforts to come full circle and prove that a well thought out plan can produce a day of fun and act as a community strengthener. Anyone that has ever put together an event can appreciate what I am conveying here. Gathering 800 people in one spot and then moving them in one direction (8 plus miles), safely and in a timely manner without incident is an undertaking that many would not want to be responsible for. Then factor in that we are on the volcanic made island of St. John and the terrain that we are dealing with. Add to that a temperature of 80 plus degrees and you have the 8 Tuff Miles Road Race. But fear not, it is only a name and a name that too often sends women off sobbing, grown men crying and children screaming in terror when it comes time to sign up. Please mommy,” don’t make me do that race again. I’ll be good, I’ll be good “…………… No it’s not like that at all. I was just having a little fun with you and seeing if you have the same sense of humor as me.

Let’s get back to the planning again for a minute or two. If you know you are NOT going to be an entry in 8 Tuff Miles or a volunteer but you need to be in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay for some other reason during the early morning hours of February 23rd please plan around this event. Centerline Road is going to be closed by the Virgin Island Police Dept. for a couple of hours or until the entries are off certain sections of the course. Naturally if the Fire Dept. needs to pass down the road they will. Ambulances would also be allowed to pass but the largest majority of traffic will be re-routed via North Shore Road or South Shore Road once the race begins. Seems like there is always someone who pulls out of their driveway on Centerline Road ten minutes after the race starts and we are in their way. This notice is directed at you; please plan on leaving your house half an hour earlier that day so we don’t upset you and ruin your morning. It’s only once a year! ( Help me pass these words on to other ) .

And where’s what’s happening next; The 2nd Geiger Tuff Tune-up on Saturday the 26th of January. We will start at the George Simmons Terrance Apt. which is about three mile up the road from Cruz Bay. The start time will be 7:30 AM, giving those traveling over from St. Thomas enough time to take the 6:30 AM ferry boat from Redhook jump on the bus for a buck and be at the start well in time for the run up to Château Bordeaux. We will have two water stations set up along the way on the 26th and plenty of cold water & Gatorade at the finish area. There is no cost and anyone can participate so please join us and be there at this starting area between 7:00 AM & 7:15 AM to sign in.

This past Saturday the 19th was the first of three litter patrols designed to, “Clean House,” before race day. It was a success and you can now start to see what sections were cleaned and the sections that still need attention. The next clean up is scheduled for the Feb. 2nd but if you feel like it, you can go there and do it on your own any day of the week. Your help is always appreciated.

Over the weekend we were able to upgrade the, “Gear for Sale,” page at this website. Have a look and drop an email to me if you see something you like. I also spent some time doctoring up the Jolly Dog Check. It now reads $3000.00 for the first person to do the course in 48:02 or better. Come and get it.

Sunday morning it was very dark as I began to get ready for my cross island run. There was cloud cover but no rain as I left the house and headed for the National Park Visitor Center. I stretched just like I always tell you to do for five minutes and then hit the road at 6:45 AM. It was cool and dry and there was a light breeze which kept me comfortable. I think it was one of the most perfect mornings to go running on St. John. Time 1:19:00, two minutes quicker than the week before. We all have a goal. What’s yours?

Its Monday morning now and time to start a new week. If you haven’t registered yet it time to do that and it’s time to train a little bit more too. Eat good foods, spend more time in your kitchens fixing good stuff to eat and remember to stretch before and after your workouts. It will make all the difference.

See you soon,

Peter

1-13-08 Update

A big week in the world of 8 Tuff Miles drew to a close Saturday night as I fell asleep during the New England Patriot / Jacksonville game. Saturday morning was the first of three Geiger Tuff Tune –ups that drew a crowd of about 35 men, women and children to the steps of Mongoose Junction as the sun began to show itself to a clear and pleasant morning. This week’s group training run would prove to see who can make it out of bed and into Cruz Bay before 7:00AM dressed and ready to take on the first three miles of the course. All part of the training for the annual cross island run on February 23rd.For those crossing the sound from St. Thomas their day begins just a little bit earlier when they make the trip over to be part of what has become an expected sight around here this time of year. For those who plan on participating but don’t always like to train with others, or prefer to start a little later in the day the proof was present in and around Cruz Bay as I witnessed numerous joggers & runners heading up the hill or out of town as the morning progressed. St. John motorist can expected to see an increase of pedestrians over the next 40 days. Please be passion with these athletes and remember it’s a good thing that they’re doing. This coming weekend the plan is to start the first of three litter patrols and no one can argue that’s not a good thing. Saturday morning I personally invite you to join me and start. ”cleaning house.” As I have mentioned in the past years if you were going to have a party at your house you would clean that house before your guests arrived. The same applies here. We are having a party of 800 on February 23rd and it’s time to clean house. Just like house work, no body wants to do it but it’s always nice to come home to a clean house. Right! So on this Saturday the 19th, February 2nd and February 16th please join me and help pick up the litter off Centerline Road so we can show off the beauty of our home. And I can hear some of you saying right now,” What about the 10,000 cups that get used on race day?” Well I have a better plan in mind for this year’s race and it goes like this. First off we are using the 7oz.wax coated cups at each water station. You can easily crush a wax cup with one squeeze of your hand. Next, I have been collecting large cardboard boxes since September and each one of the water stations will have a minimum of 8 large boxes. It’s up to you to drop your cup into a box, not the street and keep the course clean. Any questions? If you can’t hit one of the eight boxes that are provided for you than you are probably one of the people that toss trash out your car window and think it’s OK to do that too and therefore I don’t know what to do with you or how to help you.

On a much more pleasant subject I have been getting emails from folks who have been a participant in the past but have either moved away for the islands or can’t make the trip to St. John this year all wishing us well and all wishing they were going to be here on race day. In many ways, 8 Tuff Miles has become a family reunion for many of us. The returning rate of entries is staggering and I can only believe is has to do with the fun and reward of being a participant. Yes I said fun, because it is fun to get out there and run down the street like a little kid and the reward is the feeling of accomplishment. I can do” it “and your, “it” can be whatever you want “it” to be. Your “it” might be first place, or your “it” might be to finish the course on the same day. ” It” can be to go home with a trophy, “it can be to go under an hour, or your,” it” might be to make it into the Top 100 Corral for 2009. Only you know what “it” is for you. Now do it.

Help. I need help. I need,” your” help. I am short two water stations for race day. Water stations are very important and as it turns out I need to re-staff two of them. Traditional it is a business, organization, or group of friends that take care of a water station. Themes are good but of course the priority is to feed 800 people water and/or Gatorade. If you have a business, or you are in an organization or you have a group of friends that would like to get involved with 8 Tuff Miles for a few hours on the morning of the race please contact me at 340-779-4035 or 340-626-0558. We provide the water, cups, garbage bags and containers and 6 Water Station Crew Tee Shirts per station. Please help if you can.

I made a trip over to St. Thomas early on Tuesday morning and did not return till late that afternoon. It was a full day of meeting with marketing reps. from WNBC, First Bank, Pirate Radio and the distributor of Gatorade, West Indies Corporation.

Shopped and purchased 10,000 cups, and other race supplies. It was a busy and successful day that also included checking in on the good folks at the three Caribbean Surf Company stores who are doing a great job of race registration for those who live on that island. Please remember to register sooner than later as I can grantee this race will sell out long before the last scheduled registration day.

If you need more information look around the website and if you still cant find the answer to your question call me at 340-779-4035 or send email to alter@attglobal.net.

My Sunday morning started off with a power failure in the Cruz Bay area followed by me leaving Cruz Bay at about 6:35 and reaching the finish line at 7:56. 1:21:00 total time. This is my quickest time yet this year and I surely felt good when I looked at my watch. For those who are training, keep up the good work and for those who have not yet started; it’s time to! Remember to stretch before and after your runs, eat good food and stay hydrated when you’re working out.

See you all soon, (I can start to say that now cause it won’t be long before we do see ya.)

Peter

1-7-08 Update

The one thing you almost always get at any running race is a Tee shirt. Sometimes you might get a long sleeve, sometimes a tank top. I would guess that the 8 Tuff Miles event has furnished well over 3 thousand tee shirts in the past 11 years and now that we are getting closer to race day I am going to have a little fun here on St. John. Tuesday, January 22nd is going to be, “8 Tuff Miles Shirt Day.” What is shirt day? First, wear your 8 Tuff Miles shirt that day, then find me and show me that you are wearing your 8 Tuff Miles shirt and you could win a prize, but not so fast. You’ve got to answer a question too. I am not going to limit this to just tee shirts. Over the years we have also printed the 8 Tuff Miles logo on shorts, and skirts, we have embroiled hats and Polo shirts too. On January 22nd, if you are wearing a garment with the 8 Tuff Miles logo and you see me you need to answer an 8 Tuff Miles trivia question and just like that you could be an instant winner. Now that’s what I call good clean fun. Mark your calendars.

A new sponsor this year is Meters and Miles located in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.

Brad Dunlevy who has been an entry in 8 Tuff Miles before and has done well will have the stores logo on this years Tee’s. Check them out at the sponsor page and click their logo to visit his store and what they have to offer.

I would like to mention that we are gearing up for the 1st Geiger Tuff Tune Up of the season and it is scheduled for January 12th. At about 6:30 am we will begin to gather in front of Mongoose Junction. You will have to sign in and any children under 18 years will have to be signed in by a parent. For those traveling over from St. Thomas you should be on the 6:30 am ferry boat and you should head directly to Mongoose Junction upon arriving to St. John. We will wait for your arrival but we want to leave at 7:00 am so you might want to jog over to Mongoose Junction. We will have drinking water along the course for you and you can toss a backpack into the back of my truck if you would like and collect it where we finish. This run is about three miles long and it will get your attention very soon after you start. This portion of the course goes from sea level to approximately 600 feet above sea level before flatting out for the finish at the George Simmons Apts. We also encourage walkers to come out and join in at this tune up and all the training sessions. We will be timing everyone and the fees for these training runs are priced right. They are all free.

Anyone that has ever sat and talked to me about 8 Tuff Miles over the years has most likely heard me mention the,” Circle”. I am always aware of the fact that I mention it and I am proud to talk about it with sincerity. The Circle is this; we put on this event, and sponsors support it by making a donation or trading a service to have their logo associated with or displayed on the printed material, be it banners, tee shirts, whatever. Different forms of media promote the event and there is an additional association made between the supporting businesses and the event. How many of you reach for a bottle of Gatorade at other times through out the year because you know that it’s Gatorade that sponsors 8 Tuff Miles. Or do you reach for a bottle of Gatorade and not even think twice about it. When a sponsor like Gatorade supports an event like 8 Tuff Miles I also realize they do so because it is an event that is community orientated which also helps to complete the circle. The circle can often go unmentioned because there are plenty of people that get it without it ever being mentioned, but once in a while there are those who need the circle to be pointed out to them. Most often it doesn’t take much pointing and it’s real obvious once it is point out. “I’ll do this, but I need you and you to do this and that and then they will do that and that,” and before you know it the whole thing comes together. Just like a circle. This does not only apply to sponsors. This also applies to those who volunteer their time and energy. I love the circle and I love seeing the circle make its way, all the way around.

Every year during the preparation of 8 Tuff Miles I am accused of not delegating enough and not asking for more help. Well I am asking for help right now and the help I need is at water stations during the Geiger Tuff Tune Ups. As I mentioned earlier the first tune up run is this weekend and I need a few (3) people each with a car and each willing to get up early and meet me at Mongoose Junction at 6:30 am, pick up a box of water and stack of cups from me and head out to a designated location on Centerline Road. If this is you please call me ASAP at 340-779-4035 or 340-626-0558.

I haven’t written much about my runs recently but I have been out on Sunday mornings regularly running from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay. Two weeks ago it did rain delaying my start until about 7:00 am. This pass weekend I got started at 6:05 am and the air was very still, making the workout extremely hot, almost like summer time. That familiar breeze just before the Reef Bay Trailhead was not there when I came around the corner. Soon after I finished running it began raining. (The calm before the storm.) We have had plenty of rain the past few weeks and the island should be plenty green when you stateside folks arrive. A pleasant change for those of you who are experiencing gray everything in your home town. I know what it’s like this time off year, I was raised in Connecticut.

As always, train smart, eat right and stretch before & after.

Peter

1-1-08 Update

Happy New Year everyone and I wish you all the best.

Who needs an extra $1000.00 this year? My guess would be anyone reading this up-date. One of you will be $1000.00 ahead of the game if you do the following. There are a few simple rules and again my guess is that anyone reading this up date has a chance at winning this prize. The first thing you must do is register for the race and if you need help figuring out where to register, click on” Where to Register”, on the home page and start there. Now the next thing you must do is complete the course; on race day & during the race. Once you cross the Caribbean Surf Company Finish Line in Coral Bay your name along with all the others finishers of 8 Tuff Miles that day will be entered in a drawing. At the 4:00 pm award ceremony back in Cruz Bay we will draw that one lucky name from the entries that finished. That person will be given a $1000.00 shopping spree at Mongoose Junction compliments of Glen Speer. So their Mongoose Dollars, what’s the problem with that? It’s still a thousand dollars and you get to spend it. Simple rules; register, do the race and your name is in the hat. By the way it will not matter what place you come in, where you live or how old you are. Everyone’s got a chance at this prize if you follow the simple rules.

For those of you who live on St. John or have been here a time or two you know of the Fish Trap Restaurant. Some of you may not know this but there is also a Fish Trap Seafood Market located in the same complex. The Fish Trap Restaurant and Seafood Market has been a sponsor of 8 Tuff Miles and continues to be a sponsor again this year. Look for discount coupons for the restaurant during the week leading up to the 8 Tuff Miles race.

Once again we will have an international sponsor supporting 8 Tuff Miles and some of you might have spent last night there. It’s the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke and we’re glad to have their logo on our tee shirts again this year. Along with an international sponsor we also have an entry coming down from Canada this year and also an entry coming over from Scotland. We may have to add the word, “international” to the title of the event at some point.

The 12th Annual St. John International Gatorade 8 Tuff Miles Road Race.

Now that there are 52 days until 8 Tuff Miles your newest friend should be the road. If you are in the states I guess the tread mill is your friend most of the time but here in the islands it’s the road. It’s always there, day and night, rain or shine. Each time you tie up your shoes and head out the door, there’s your friend, the road, just where you left it. It waits there for you with the loyalty of a dog. It doesn’t mind if others use it while you were off doing something else. It remembers you and you remember it. The pain it brings and the joy you feel when you hit hard. It has the patience of a saint because it knows you’ll be back for more. Your friend the road can and will show you who the boss is during any given workout. It won’t say anything to you… It can’t… It’s a road, but you’ll know when it‘s time to visit your friend, the road and when it’s time to go home. Take care of your friend when ever you can and please don’t throw litter on your friend.

Happy New Year Everyone,

Peter

12-26-07 Update

Happy Holidays everyone and all the best for the up coming New Year. How many of you out there didn’t eat enough cookies yet. That’s right. You just can’t eat too many cookies this time of year. I always feel like I could eat a couple more and so I do. I figure it this way, if eating a few too many cookies is the worst thing I do this holiday season then I’ll just have too pay for it on Sunday morning when I run the course. On the 23rd (of Dec.) I ran the course leaving Cruz Bay straight up at 6:00 AM. It was dark and I don’t remember seeing the moon which would have been near full so it must have been behind clouds in the west sky or behind St. Thomas. None the less it was dark and I usually don’t like to or recommend running in the dark, especially on St. John but I had things to do later that morning and needed to get started early so off I went after a five minute stretching routine. I had planted a bottle of water the day before near the halfway point and I was carrying one also. The air was cool and the road was dry. The thing I enjoy about starting this early is the absents of motor vehicle traffic on Centerline Road. I feel like I have a private track through the park all to myself when I head out this early and I never forget how fortunate I am to have moved to St. John many years ago and enjoy this simple pleasure the island can offer. Unfortunately I began glancing at my wrist watch during my run and I noticed it was 6:35 when I was passing the George Simmons Terrace Apts. which are just over three miles from the starting line. I say,” unfortunately” because I have tried to get away from always looking at my watch and just enjoy the run, but as February 23rd nears I can feel the competitive monster stirring in me. At the five mile mark it was 6:55 and now the sky was bright and the sun was making an appearance as I headed down to Coral Bay for the end of my run. 1:25:00. That’s not a very good time for that run I thought trying to make excuses. I soon remembered I had not run that far in two weeks. Two weeks before this run I went to St. Thomas for the annual 5K Jingle Bell Run and the week before I was the timer at a Swim/Run event our club put together on the 16th (of Dec). So now it’s time to get back to the long runs on Sunday morning. By the way from now until 8 Tuff Miles we ( the St. John Landsharks) will be hosting three organized training runs on St. John that are known as the Geiger Tuff Tune Ups and the first one will be held on January 12th. We will gather in front of Mongoose Junction and head up to the George Simmons Terrace Apts. for the first tune up run. In past years somewhere between 40 and 60 people show up for these training runs. Between now and then I will recruit a few volunteers to staff a few water stations along the way and if you would like a back pack transported to the finish area you can throw that in the back of my truck. We will record your time and have those results for you when you finish up. There will be plenty of cold water and Gatorade for you there too. The crew doing the timing will get a chance to work out any quirks before race days and the new comers to the event will understand a little more clearly why the race is called,” 8 Tuff Miles.” For those you who are state side until mid February I’m guessing most of you are training inside at your local gym. I’ve been told by some of the 8 Tuff Miles alumni that you have set up your tread mills to simulate Centerline Road. For those of you who would also like to do this you can find a very accurate outline of the course by clicking on, ” The Course” back at the home page. A few years ago I walked the course with an altimeter and measuring wheel recording the information then turning over my findings to a surveyor friend of mine resulting in the map we display at that page. The second display at that page was done by Anne Higham a local artist and you will see a 10 foot long banner of the same scene on the morning of the race at the starting line area. Also at the home page you can click on the Geiger Tuff Tune Ups and find the other dates and parts of the course we will train on together before the race.

January 1st marks the first day of local registration on both St. Thomas and St. John. See,” Where to Register “on the home page for more information on that. State side registration has been going very well with now 80 entries committed to the event. At this time New York and Virginia are both tied and in the lead with 9 entries each. Michigan and Pennsylvania are next with 7 entries each followed by NH, NJ and NC each with 5 entries. For more on these demographics see, “Where Are They Coming From?” at the home page. This website also continues to be well visited with over a thousand visits weekly and I’m pleased to see that number grow.

I would like to finish up this up date with a mention of the Litter Patrols that 8 Tuff Miles will be conducting. The first day that we will go out onto the course as a group is January 19th. It’s a Saturday and I am asking you to join me, picking up trash off of Centerline Road for 15 minutes, ½ hour, an hour or what ever amount of time you can. I will never fully understand why anyone would think that it’s OK to toss trash out the window of their car as they drive down the road anywhere in the world. The only thing I have been able to figure out is this. If we don’t pick it up it’s not going to pick itself up and the problem is only going to get way, WAY out of control. I’m at a loss here and I just shake my head not knowing what else to do. I could say many mean and probably true statements about the people that do litter but I will hold my tongue. I am open to hearing your thoughts on litter control on St. John and maybe someone out there reading this up date has an answer.

Mean-while 59 days and counting down. Remember to stretch before and after. Hydrate before, during and after. Eat smart all the time. Moderation is key and enjoy your runs.

All the best for the New Year,

Peter

PS … Read the past up dates and get caught up on all the 8 Tuff Miles news. Be informed and be ready on February 23rd.

12-21-07 Update

Three days till Christmas and 63 days till 8 Tuff Miles. Here on St. John there is a buzz in the air and the hype is building in regards to 8 Tuff Miles. Now I don’t mean to make it sound like the only thing people are talking about is 8 Tuff Miles and,” did you start training yet”, but if you listen closely you will hear discussions regarding training techniques, new running shoes for Christmas, getting together with this guy or that girl to go for a run together. Do you know what I’m saying here? People are planning and anticipating doing well come race day. And how do you do that? You train and train smart. I was sitting in the Tap Room enjoying a good locally made brew last night when I heard three guys talking about 8 Tuff Miles. I didn’t recognize any of them but it turned out that one of them finished in 1:06 last year. I didn’t turn around to see who they were because like I said I was there to just enjoy a pint of Winterbrew. The one guy made a comment to his friends that he wanted to get his time under an hour this year and hearing this made me smile. This is what I love about 8 Tuff Miles; It drives people to pursue a goal that is only important to someone who runs. Time passed and the guy that wants to go under an hour was now paying his tab at the bar. I introduced myself to him and suggested he do hill repeats to increase his speed for race day. Hill repeats are not very much fun but crossing the finish line sooner than you did last year is!

The Planning: The planning is looking good and I have to believe that the large majority of supports and sponsor of 8 Tuff Miles are truly in the Christmas sprit. Anyone that has ever planned an event similar to this will know that at some point you need to be in touch with marketing reps. As in many jobs, marketing reps. come and go and this year has been no exception. As a matter of fact I can’t remember the change being this many. Dealing with new reps. can be a challenge and that’s my job.

I am happy to report to everyone reading this week’s up-date that First Bank of the Virgin Islands will once again sponsor the starting line. Look up on the morning of race day when you‘re stretching your readied muscles you will see above your heads the First Bank Starting Line. The first part of our long day should start no where other than under the First Bank Starting Line. Iscah, who is enjoying her new job with First Bank tells me she is looking forward to being an entry in this year’s race and we welcome her and all the others who will be coming over from St. Thomas on the morning of February 23rd. Everyone who was involved with last February’s race will remember that the race was delayed by 50 minutes due to the poor planning I my behalf. I have recently met with Varlack Ventures who owns the other ferry boat company. The meeting went something like this; I would like to charter a ferry boat to carry 250 people from St. Thomas to St. John on the morning of February 23rd at 6:30 AM so they can be under the First Bank Starting Line at 7:15 AM which is when we plan on leaving to run across the island while the sun is still relatively low on the horizon. The meeting went very well and I strongly believe we are going to see a 7:15 AM start making the race conditions much more tolerable than they were last year. For those traveling from St. Thomas on the morning of the race, you will need to purchase a ticket at a cost of $5.00 just like always. The next part of the plan is to board the ferry boat that is chartered for the 8 Tuff Miles Race. It will be a blue and white Varlack Ventures boat parked at the Redhook Dock. Race entries should be wearing their bib numbers to help lessen any question of where you are going or possess a print out confirming you have registered on line. This will speed things along. Friends and family will also be allowed to board this chartered boat along with media personal and volunteers all who will pay the normal $5.00 fee. Regular commuters will travel to St. John on the regular 6:30 AM ferry boat. Anyone that is going to St. John strictly for the race will board the specially chartered ferry boat. We are now planning and hoping that the 8 Tuff Miles boat will be able to dock in the Creek directly in front of the National Park Visitor Center. If we are able to make this happen those traveling over from St. Thomas will be dropped off close to the SAG wagon where they can check in a small back pack and then make their way to the First Bank Starting Line for the 7:15 AM start. Those who have registered on line and had not yet picked up there bib numbers will do this as soon as they reach St. John. There will be volunteers directing those entries to the bib pick up area and then they can go back to the SAG wagon, check in a small bag & head over to the starting line. Details, details, and details.

A quick reminder, there is no registration on the morning of the race and there is no registration on Friday the 22nd of February. There will be last minute bib number pick up for those who have pre registered on line and the top 100 corral people only. Please help me by passing this word on to others who you know are interested in participating in 8 Tuff Miles this year.

Besides marketing reps and ferry boat owners I also have to deal with the local authorities such as the Chief of Police. I am happy to also report this week that permission has been granted to 8 Tuff Miles for the use of Centerline Road as the course. I know, I can hear some of you out there saying,” He just got permission this week,” and the answer to that is yes. Chief Foy and the VIPD will be assisting and directing us safely through town and onto Centerline Road detouring traffic and leading the top runners. The rangers from the National Park Service will also assist as they have in the past years and St. John Rescue will be spread out all along the course doing what they do best, keeping an eye on us and making sure we’re staying up right.

As you make your way across the island on race day you are going to be greeted and encouraged by many spectators. At the highest point on the course, 999feet you will be made aware of this location by staff members of Holiday Homes of St. John who will be sponsoring this location. Don’t be fooled by the location of the highest point and think that it’s all down hill from there. Soon after the highest point location the elevation drops rapidly and of course it wouldn’t be 8 Tuff Miles if we didn’t supply you with one of the steepest uphill portions of your morning after that. Heading east and up the road from the Reef Bay Trailhead you will have to drop into granny gear and dig in for a few minutes till you crest the top of that hill. Some of you who have done this race before know that this is the hill where Ron will be playing his harmonica blues hill climb songs. Ron has told me this is the largest crowd he has ever played in front of even though they are all running away from him as he plays. This entire area of the course is unique. It has the look of a rain forest, the highest point, the steepest uphill portion, it’s got the musicians and then of course the corner that brings you to the real down hill, the corner at Château Bordeaux Restaurant. To say the least it’s a colorful corner and at Colorful Corners you can get a drink of water or Gatorade before the 2 ½ mile ride down the hill, to the Caribbean Surf Company finish line. And yes I am also happy to report that the Caribbean Surf Company will be sponsoring the Finish Line again this year. That’s the place we all want to eventually end up at. Throw your arms in the air and write a letter home to mom and dad saying, I did it!

Before you can do all that I’m going to give you new comers to St. John a heads up. This is directed to the folks living here on St. John that have heard about 8 Tuff Miles and have to do this race just because. Ask your boss for the day off now. Don’t wait till the week before the race and tell your boss you want the day off. Plan ahead. You might want the night before the race off too. You might want Saturday night off too but for sure you’ll want to ask for Saturday morning off. That’s a good heads up and you should get it in writing, “Boss, I want the day off!”

For those living here on island you may have noticed that I’ve put up a few announcement banners around town this week. You will also notice a couple of new sponsor’s logos displayed on these banners. Pirate Radio 96.1 is one of the new logos and they will be making many announcements promoting 8 Tuff Miles this year beginning sometime around the middle of next month. Also you will notice the logo of Verace of St. John who is sponsoring the college scholarships funds this year. Lowkey Watersports sponsor of the finisher medals, Cool Signs provider of all of our banners and signs, WNBC logo, and the very recognizable Gatorade logo.

Kids, it time to run! This was a long up date but that’s what happens when you get closer and closer to race day. More and more begins to happen. For those of you who read it all I hope you are inspired to go for a run and enjoy a work out with a future date in mind; a date with a stretch of road we all know as,”8 Tuff Miles.”

A very Merry Christmas to all and Happy Holidays to everyone.

On top of that I wish you all the best for the New Year.

Train Smart and stay tuned for more news next week,

Peter

12-14-07 Update

It’s mid December and there are now 70 days until we drop that bright orange flag to start the, “Best Little Road Race in the Caribbean” 8 Tuff Miles. As a kid I can still remember how it felt like time was stuck in molasses and it seemed to be an eternity each year form September to December. Not the case any more as the days, weeks, and months now fly by like they’ve been shot from a cannon. And here we are, all grown up now and trying to make time to socialize during the holidays, work 40 hours a week and squeeze in an hour or two each week to workout and stay fit because we know we feel better when we do it. How many of you reading this feel like you need a personal assistant this time of year? We’ll forget about it. You can’t afford it. You would have to work 60 hours a week just to be able to pay the assistant and then you wouldn’t have time to work out. So I am going take on the position of your personal assistant for the next 70 days and then we are all going to meet under the big green sign that reads First Bank Starting Line on February 23rd. The sign will be hanging from a palm tree 20 feet up off the ground behind the National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay. Don’t worry you’ll find it. It’s the only starting line sign there and there’ll be a bunch of other people standing around dressed just like you. Shorts, sneaker, some kind of antimicrobial fiber shirt and oh yah they’ll be jumping up and down in place like they’ve just got new springs installed in their leg the night before. And yes there will be some loud music being played. If you pay close attention to the songs being played you’ll notice they have lyrics like, “down the road I go”, “I’ve got a hard road to travel and a long, long way to go”, “an’t no mountain high enough” or maybe, “It was a beautiful day “by U2. And it will be a beautiful day whether it rains or not. The temperature will be hovering around 80 degrees and most likely it will be sunny and dry. It usually is. Either way you will be ready because for the next 70 days I am going make sure you get your daily dose of exercise. The first thing I need you do is tie a string around your finger. This will act as a reminder that you need to go for a run today. Hey what do you want for nothing?

And now moving right along with the support and sponsorships of 8 Tuff Miles. It has been a very busy week for me and a very productive week as well and that is the way we like it around here at 8 Tuff Miles Head Quarters. First up, Gallows Point Resort located on the south side of the mouth of Cruz Bay Harbor has once again committed to sponsoring 8 Tuff Miles. Gallows Point has been a sponsor of 8 Tuff Miles and for many years home for many an entry of the race. From this resort it’s an easy walk to the starting line on the morning of race day and if you are state side right now and still making your plans considers staying at Gallows Point Resort. We have a link to their site on our Sponsor Page and as I have mentioned in previous up-dates this race could only happen with the support and sponsorship of our sponsors.

All big time road races around the world have official sponsors be it, sport drinks, clothing, the lists can be as long as your arm and we are no different here at 8 Tuff Miles. Race headquarters have been in touch with the St. John Sun Times and the Sun Times will once again act as the official newspaper for the 2008 race. When you are on St. John and you need to know how to, where to or when; pick up a free copy of the St. John Sun Times during January and February and you’ll have your answers.

Property King has also step up to the plate again this year and answered the call to be a sponsor of 8 Tuff Miles. For those of you who live here on St. John or own a home and just don’t know what to do when it comes to landscaping your yard, call Mark & Julie at Property King. By making this phone call you will free up a many precious hours of time each week and you will then have time to train for 8 Tuff Miles. See, I really do make a good personal assistant!

You also need to purchase insurance for that home and may I please suggest the Theodore Tunick & Company to take care of that need. Yah you’re on to me now. Yes Theodore Tunick & Company has once again agreed to be there for us as I am sure they would be there for you if you talk to them about insuring your home, car or business. We thank them and welcome them to this year’s event.

Last but surely not least is the St. John Tour.com  sponsorship. A huge thank you to Dorie for making this website a reality each time you tune in. If you are state side and still planning what else you might do while visiting St. John besides being an entry in 8 Tuff Miles look no farther than St. John Tour.com  and start your planning. Not only does Dorie maintain this site she also makes St. John Tour.com  a reality. Also worth mentioning is this; one year ago today this site had received just under 35,000 visits since it was hatched. Now that the site is five years old we have recently turned the meter 50,000 times. Congratulations to us!

As I mentioned at the top it was a very productive week in the world of 8 Tuff Miles. Personally I am still trying to finish off some carpenter projects I’ve started and continue to pay the bills before things start to go non stop with 8 Tuff Miles. Being your personal assistant isn’t going to be easy either. The bottom line is this; just about everything is falling into place. Now that I am doing this event for the 12th time I know what needs attention today and what can wait till next week. Pretty much nothing can wait till next week but sometimes some things do. I have learned so much in twelve years in regards to planning this race I seriously need to consider writing a book and perhaps someday you’ll be receiving a copy as a Christmas present.

With that thought I wish you all a Happy Holiday Season. Ten days till Christmas and if you’re in the spirit I’m happy for you and if your not you better hurry up and get into it before it’s too late.

And Happy training everyone,

Peter

12-04-07 Update

It’s now the first week of December and just like I thought there are more people dragging themselves out of bed early on Sunday morning to run from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay via Centerline Road. It was a very productive week in the world of 8 Tuff Miles. I caught up with a very busy Ben Biddle who is the Headmaster at the Gift Hill School here on St. John to talk about the timing duties on race day. Ben told me he would be OK with putting together a team of score keepers for the 8 Tuff Miles finish line this year. He assured me he could make it happen and I felt another weight lift from my shoulders.

An email to the local WNBC station yielded a month of TV ads that will air locally beginning in early February. WVGN out of St. Thomas has helped with promoting 8 Tuff Miles the past two years and we welcome them back for the 2008 race.

I also got a chance to sit down with Jennifer and Jeff Donnely during the week to discuss the Jolly Dog Race Pace and this year there will be a reward of $3000.00 for the first person to turn in a time of 48:02 or better. That is no easy feat but the pay day is sweet. Please keep in mind when talking about this prize that this $3000.00 goes to the first person and the first person only that crosses the finish line in 48:02 or better. Any others are NOT eligible for this prize money.

As for the other prizes, the age group awards, the glass pieces were ordered last week from the glass shop at Maho Bay Camps here on St. John and if my plan works out I would like to have the trophies assembled by the first of the year. If anyone know of a business that can make up engraved name plates for a reasonable price please let know. The company that I have been using for years went threw the roof last year.

S.O.S. What is SOS? Some say, save our ship, but here in the islands it’s Storage on Site, a local business that will deliver storage containers of various sizes to your site. So now that you know what SOS is here in the islands I am happy to tell you that Storage on Site will once again be a sponsor of 8 Tuff Miles for the 2008 race. Look for their banner at the Half Way Point on race day and you will then know, (that’s right), you’re half way to the Caribbean Surf Company finish line.

Speaking of banners, if you know who helped themselves to the Highest Point banner after last year’s race I would like it back. We re-use our banners over and over for many years and having to replace a banner is an added expense to this event. The rest of the banners will be heading over to St. Thomas in the very near future to be re work at Cool Signs, with a 2008 date and a couple of new sponsor names, Verace, the sponsor of the 8 Tuff Miles college scholarships and Pirate Radio 96.1 FM, the official radio station of the 12th Annual St. John Gatorade 8 Tuff Miles Road Race. Cool Signs which is located in the mall at American Yacht Harbor, Red Hook has provided 8 Tuff Miles with banners and signage of all type over the past 8 years. This past summer I outfitted my truck with wooden side racks and Cool Signs provided me with graphics for the racks that I get complimented on regularly. For those of you who have not yet seen the new look I will try to post a picture of the old work horse of a truck at this site.

Let me tell you about the online registration and how it’s going. As of today there are now 59 committed entries from the states and beyond. Local registration will begin on January 1st. This is still the most entries we have ever had register at this time of year. I predict we will have an even 100 by Christmas Day. We’ll see what happens.

Some of you may be wondering what my time was on this past Sunday and let me first say the road was dry and the weather was cool and sometimes overcast. 1:22:00 was my time. Those of us who ran left at different times but we did sit down together at the Donkey Diner afterwards to compare notes and enjoy breakfast. This coming Sunday is the annual Jingle Bell Run in St. Thomas. It’s a flat and fast 5 K race in Red Hook that begins at 7:30 am & if you’re going to be in the islands and you’re interested in going call me, (340-779-4035) or email ( alter@attglobal.net ) me for more details.

I can’t think of anything else new to tell you about regarding 8 Tuff Miles so I’m going to sign off by saying eat smart and stretch before you start running. Hydrate before, during and after your run and the last week of February will be here before you know it.

Happy training,

Peter

11-26-07 Update

Now that we are all enjoying cooler weather this is a good time stretch your legs and do a little running or walking. Yes I know we are all busy with work and preparation for the family visiting, baking cookies and Christmas shopping but do something for you a couple times a week and exercise for a while. If you’re reading this you are probably going to be an entry in 8 Tuff Miles this year so get a jump on the competition and start your training now.

Important: What to do and what not to do. Definitely stretch before and after every run for a minimum of five minutes. You will feel a world of difference if you currently do not stretch before and after your workout. Muscles need to warm up much the same way a car’s motor does on a cold winter morning before zooming down the hi-way.

Eat smart. We all eat junk at some point throughout the day. Try to eat fresh, and try to stay away from prepackaged foods. Spend more time in your kitchen preparing a healthy & fresh meal. It’s OK to eat if you’re eating healthy. All we can do is try and by all means stay away from fast food restaurants like MacD’s and BK and any of those places. You’re better off fasting than eating there. The right fuel can be the answer to success in a race car and the right food in your body can be the answer to finishing a race and feeling good.

Moving right along: I sat down with Dr. John a couple of weeks ago and he gave me the good news that St. John Dental will once again be a proud sponsor of 8 Tuff Miles this year. It’s always good to have those meeting and get the good news that once again a previous year’s sponsor is once again willing and ready to continue to support the race. Besides that I have been writing letters asking for permission from those we need permission from to make the race happen. There are quite a few letters and I will let you know when the permission is granted from the different corners of the event. Also we will have a new radio station for you all to tune into and gather current information regarding the race and that station will be Pirate Radio 96.1 FM. We welcome them back (after a few years of absents) as your official radio station.

On line registration is doing well with now 56 stateside and beyond residents now registered. Local folks please do not worry. We will not sell out the 800 slots before the first of the year which is when local registration begins. Do remember this thou, head to one of the Caribbean Surf Company’s three St. Thomas locations after the first of the year to grantee a spot at the starting line and for those on St. John head to the Tap Room after January 1st to register. Please don’t wait till the last minute like in the past. Last year we had to turn people away and I truly hated doing that. Bottom line; register early. Commit!

My training for 8 tuff Miles went something like this the past couple of weeks.

I ran the course on the 18th and was 7 minutes slower than the week before. The road was wet and the air was thick with moisture although it was not raining. I noticed it was very humid the first four miles and then heading into Coral Bay there was more of a breeze blowing in from the east making it more comfortable. Still my run was seven minutes slower. Yesterday morning I was back in St. Thomas to run in the 33rd running of the Virgin Islands ½ Marathon and turned in a time of 1:57:10 giving a fourth place overall finish. Congratulations to all who participated and finished and a huge thank you to the volunteers who supplied us with water and encouragement.

That will do it for now. Stay tuned for more in the near future.

Happy training!

Peter

11-13-07 Update

Closing in on 100 days till race day and the number of stateside entries has now climbed to 46. Never have we registered so many before. Thanksgiving Day and I see this as a good sign of things to come. St. John is now seeing more and more snow birds arriving daily and the cycle continues. Parking is already a problem each and every time you go into town and it's not even close to season yet. Maybe there should be a big parking lot about a 1/2 mile outside of town and you have to walk from there. Wishful thinking.

I have run the course once more since my last up-date and as always I enjoyed every step of the way. It was the same day as the NYC Marathon, 11/04 and congratulations to all who were there in NYC and completed that course. I was told the weather was perfect for a marathon and you can't ask for more than that. Again, Congratulations to all.

Most recently Luigi Costello and I traveled over to St. Thomas to participate in the 24th Annual VI 10 K Race which begins in the Tutu area and heads over to the UVI soccer fields near the airport. Luigi and I made up 1/4 of the field of entries. That's right; there were a total of 8 entries in the race. Luigi finished 3rd and I was 2nd. That was my Sunday morning run this past weekend and I hope to get a back over to St. Thomas on the 25th of this month to partake in the VI 1/2 Marathon which will begin at Wendy's (near Havensight ) and goes down to the Riechhold Center for the Arts and back to Wendy's.

Next on the list, the new bib numbers for 2008 are here on island now and I also was able to sit down with Ann Marie from LowKey Watersports this past week Ann Marie has agreed to once again sponsor the Finisher medals that you will all receive upon completing 8 Tuff Miles. A more useful style of medal has been designed for this year and I won't say any more about it now. Some things should remain a surprise for race day. At this time I would like to remind everyone who will be vacationing here on St. John to please consider using the businesses that sponsor 8 Tuff Miles when planning your stay. For without our sponsors we would not have much of a race on February, 23rd. There is a long list of sponsors at this website and most have a link to their sites. At least take a minute and have a look at these businesses. They make it happen!

I was able to get my truck through inspection this morning. Some of you may not think that's a big deal but you probably have never seen my truck. If you're coming to 8 Tuff Miles you will soon see the truck. Anyway the truck is registered for another year and she's looking good and ready to work.

New at this website is Run,TJ,Run . You can find this link to TJ's blog on our home page and follow along on his progress of competing and completing the 2008 8 Tuff Miles Race.

That a wrap for now. Eat smart & happy training,
Peter

10-29-07 Update

For those who live here on St. John you know that it’s been raining here for days. Four or five days now, I seem to have lost track. I do know that I haven’t been able to finish up or start any of my outdoor projects and have been kept busy sitting in front of the computer emailing friends, sponsors and anyone that might have something to do with the best little race in the Caribbean. That is one catch phase I have decided to use this year to describe 8 Tuff Miles. “The Best Little Race in the Caribbean.” Do you like it?

Lucky for me the rain did stop late Saturday night and Sunday morning. When I woke up Sunday morning and prepared for my usual Sunday morning run I noticed that as the clock approached 6:00 am it was not getting very light out. Stepping on to the porch and looking off to the east I could see that the sky was full of clouds and that it was going to be another day of, ”strong possibility of rain day.” I procrastinated getting to the NPS starting line by milling about the house and when I went to fire up my truck to drive there guess what? That’s right it would not start. Things, just about everything was wet and the truck was going no where. So at a 6:30 AM I decided to walk into town and at 5 minutes till seven off I went. The road was pretty dry, considering the amount of rain we had gotten, a few puddles here and there. The wind was moving the air just enough to dry the road and keep me cool for a while but not for long. It doesn’t take long to warm right up when you’re climbing 200 or 300 feet every mile and the temperature is 80 degrees or better. One thing I did notice was that the traffic increases from 6 AM vs 7 AM but once I got about three miles up the road and into the National Park the traffic did died off. At the overlook to the British Virgin Islands there was a cloud of mist blowing pass and I always enjoy seeing that. Rounding the corner just before the reef Bay Trailhead I was greeted by a steady gust of fresh air that I can always seem to rely on like an old friend.

With all the rain we received here this pass week I would guess that everyone now has a full cistern and that the island will remain greener than a St. Patrick’s Day parade for the next couple of months. There is one problem that heavy amounts of rain bring and that is breeding grounds for mosquitoes. My guess is that next week we will see an increase in the little buggers. I have a suggestion to all who live here on St. John and who are reading this. Take a walk in your yard and look for standing water. Anything that can collect water, dump in out and turn it over so it doesn’t fill with water again. This way we don’t get the nasty little buggers a place to breed. Trash on the side of the hi-way that can collect water, (cups, to go containers, ect…) are breeding grounds and therefore should be removed. Old tires are the worst. Old tires can collect water and are dark. Guess what? Old tires that have collected water are like a five star resort to a mosquito. If everyone just empties out a collection pool here and there, the amount of buggers will decrease and we’ll all be a little more comfortable here on St. John. Moving along.

The stateside registered entry count continues to climb. There are now 32 including an entry from Scotland. Yes folks, once again we are International.

Best of luck to those who will be participating in the NYC Marathon on Sunday November 4th. From St. John we send, Chelsea O’Brien and Moe Chabuz.

10-16-07 Update

While many of you are stateside enjoying my favorite time of year, autumn, the lot of us here on St. John are now enjoying summer part two. Quit honestly the trade wind breezes have been felt the past few days here and it sure feels nice when the air is moving opposed to dead stagnate air. Since my last up date on 9/30 I have run the course two more times. Both times on Sunday morning and right around 6:00 am. On the 7th the sky was threatening with more than just a passing shower but I headed out anyway. As I passed the half way point the weather reminded me of the 2005 race when the mist was heavy and it feel like we were running through a rain forest. Well just a few more turns and corners, and a few more up and down sections I was rounding the corner at Château Bordeaux Restaurant. As I did I looked over my right shoulder to the east and could see a seriously heavy band of rain headed for Coral Bay. I laughed out loud because there was not a thing I could do about it. I new that by the time I got farther down the hill that this weather and I were going to meet face to face. About three hundred yards from the 7 miles mark and off to my right the wind was blowing the rain up the hillside. Keep in mind that the hillside there is at about a 60 degree angle. The rain was blowing right up and over the top of the telephone poles and not really raining on the street. This only lasted for half a minute or so but I thought to myself that this had to be a rare sight. Moments later the rain came down and at some areas the road had a minimum of two inches of water rushing towards Coral Harbor. The few cars that were out were traveling curiously as they passed me. I waved to a few of them and I’m sure they must have thought I really was crazy and I guess I am because, once again I enjoyed my run. Soaking wet I finished up, walked over to the store for a Gatorade and later enjoyed the 8:00 am bells of the Moravian Church. This past Sunday it was dry and still a great run. I just can’t get tried of doing this run. I saw a couple of other runners out on Centerline Road and I’m pretty sure I’ll be seeing more soon.

I’ll been working on the design of the finishers' medal and it continues to take shape. Hopefully everyone will be happy with it and if I have my way many of you will use this year’s medal all year long and into the future. The T shirt design also got some attention this past weekend. The first draft is always just that, the first draft. If anyone is an artist type and would like to help out with the T-shirt art, call me. Fair warning, I’m not that easy to work with but I could use some help. We have been adding a few more points of interest to the website including the complete list of those who are members of the Under an Hour Club. See the home page for direction to that list. Active.com is up and running. No pun intended. As of today, 10/16/07 a total of 14 stateside folks have committed to February, 23rd. I would appreciate it if only stateside folks used Active.com. Local registration will begin on January 1st both on St. Thomas and St. John. Which reminds me, the bib numbers were redesigned earlier this year and order last week and will be shipped out of Spokane, Washington much earlier than last year. I’m excited about this year’s race. What about you? Do you think we’ll register 800 entries? Do you think someone will go under the Jolly Dog Race Pace time of 48:02 and win all that cash? Will we see a new course record? Will we have fun? Will we live to talk about? OK, that’s it, time to wrap it up. Happy training everyone.

9-30-07 Update

Sunday afternoon and also the last day of September. Just about everything on St. John is slow this time of year including my run time of the 8 Tuff Miles course which I have forced myself out of bed the past two Sunday mornings to test my ability and challenge this humbling run. In the past years I have waited until at least November to start my training but something tells me I might need to begin training a little sooner this season. Take advantage of the time available and endure the heat and humidity sooner than others. Still after twelve years of running this stretch of road I can honestly say that I enjoy it each and every time. Leaving Cruz Bay shortly after sunrise, about 6:00 AM and chugging up the hill for two miles, reaching an elevation of around 600 feet is a reward of its own, but the course rewards you with a somewhat flat section and a crowd of spectators. These spectators are usually grazing on the side of road and come in the shapes of pigs, goats and cows. You can’t help but laugh when they spin their heads around and see a human running down the road when most of the island is still asleep or still enjoying their first cup of coffee.

Five months from today I’ll be packing everything up and looking forward to the 2009 race, but for now we have five months to prepare for the best little race in the islands. It must be good if we can convince 710 people to register and put 640 of them over the finish line. Just to clear up the reason why so many entries did not made it to the finish line last year ( 70 ) is because, there was a terrible flu going around on St. John forcing many who had signed up to stay home and convalesce. I was one of those who unfortunately came down with the crud during the week and almost didn’t participate last year. At the last minute I sucked it up and put on my running clothes, walked the first half and jogged the last half completing the course and receiving a well deserved finisher’s medal.

With two trips under my belt this year and sponsorship letters in the mail I am pleased to report to that once again Chelsea Drug Store has agreed to sponsor the First Aid Tent on the finish line. That St. John Hardware will once again support 8 Tuff Miles and that Paradise Lumber and Hardware has recharged the account allowing me to pick up a limited amount of supplies when necessary. And now for some really, really big news. I and Luigi Costello from Verace St. John sat down at the Tap Room a couple of weeks ago. Luigi had asked me to meet with him to discus the 8 Tuff Miles College Scholarships. Soon after we met Luigi gave me the news that he would sponsor in full, the $4600.00, the entire amount of the college scholarships. As most of you may remember we held a raffle drawing last year and at the last minute raised barely enough funds to support that part of 8 Tuff Miles .A huge thank you to Luigi Costello of Verace and our other sponsors who have already committed to the 2008 race.