8 Tuff Miles Trip Report

[ColumbiaSCTraveler]

CONGRATS on 8 Tuff!
And THANK YOU for posting a trip report! TR's are my FAVORITE! I get so excited when I see a new one!
Glad y'all had such a great visit with friends and family!

[PatrickMcc]

I have to respond to tell you this story. We were on St John last week. One night my daughter and boyfriend went to a bar after dinner- my wife and I went back to the Cruz Bay Boutique Hotel and were sound asleep at ten o'clock when there was a knock on the door. I opened the door in my underwear and standing there with my daughter and boyfriend was a guy we had worked with for about 30 years- Steve O and his brother. He had started a random conversation with my daughter and boyfriend at the bar (they didn't know him) and the conversation led to him coming to our room . The world is a small place. A few days later we met Steve at Hawksnest and he told us about this great group of people he had run 8 tuff miles with and how they had shared a charter previously and how fabulous their villa was. Today I began reading your trip report with the great pictures and suddenly I get to the brothers' picture and realize I am reading the report by Steve's friends!!! Loved the report and the pictures. I can't wait to tell Steve. If it is any consolation, the weather here is the Boston area has been very grim all week.

[chicagoans]

Patrick: it IS a small world! (Or as we used to say in the singles days living in the city: 'It's not a small world, it's a big bar.')

That's so great that you know Steve, and what a funny coincidence! His brother Brian is married to one of my co-workers, and last year was the first year Suzanne and I met Steve. I was so happy to see him and Brian again this year - they're both great fun and very nice.

I'm so glad you told me!

[cindygad]

Thanks so much for your trip report. What memories you made with your beautiful family. Hope your DH was able to rest and gain strength for his healing.

[loria]

i loved reading this and seeing pictures of all of you guys-- wow-- it would be so nice to hang out again passing the catchphrase and the kids doing 'diaper' dives and drinking rum drinks and champagne and beers and ...oops.... water? yeah, seltzer.........looks like an amazing trip and IXora is gorgeous-- as are you adn your family--!!!! love to all of you!!!

[CBama]

thanks...all those pictures brought back memories of all those wonderful beaches!!

but I cannot imagine walking much less running 8 Tuff miles.....

[Laura T]

Love the report. Pictures and descriptions are wonderful.

Great job on the run! I know that is not an easy race. I would love to run the 8 Tuff Miles one of these years. Have run several destination runs, including a hilly San Francisco half marathon, but having run in St. John before, I think this would be even tougher!. I have been on the sidelines after knee surgery in January, but hoping to be running in St. John in May (though I likely be limited to "One tough mile"...or maybe "one easy mile" near the Annaburg ruins where it is flat!)

Laura (also a Chicagoan)

[CinnBay]

Loved reading your trip report, thanks for posting it. Congratulations on your 8 Tuff Miles results . . .15th place in your age bracket and an 11 minute mile pace!! I'm hoping for an 11 minute mile in a local 10k which is pretty much flat.

[benchill]

Great pics and great report. Big congrats on your 8 Tuff time. You are a runner indeed.
No telling how many times we passed each other during the week.

[Agent99]

OMG I am so impressed that you all did race! Great report, thanks so much for sharing the report and pics of your beautiful family and friends!

[EagleRayLover]

We were on island for 8 Tuff and I remember your son crossing the finish line! I wish we got to meet up with you guys!! Our trip report is being worked on by Augie as I type! We had such nice weather while we were there and such a great day for the race!

[xxjpxx9]

What a great trip report! The second to last pic of your final dinner really put a smile on my face. You and your husband look so truly happy. Glad you had a fun trip

[Agent99]

We were on island for 8 Tuff and I remember your son crossing the finish line! I wish we got to meet up with you guys!! Our trip report is being worked on by Augie as I type! We had such nice weather while we were there and such a great day for the race!

He's doing a great job on the report. Congrats on the job offer, too!

[northerngal]

What a great trip report! Thanks for sharing. How did you like the villa? We have looked at that place...dreaming..

[chicagoans]

Thanks everyone! Here are some answers to questions...

Was the island crowded that week?

I don't have much to compare with because my trips have either been Christmas / New Years or President's Week for 8 Tuff. I'd say it's a bit less crowded than Christmas and New Years and there were times when we saw parking lots at Maho and Salt Pond very full. (But we would leave early for the beaches so we always had a spot.) But never so crowded that I wasn't happy to be there.

How did you like the villa?

I just posted a villa review. We really liked it! Loved the location and would happily stay there again.

I still don't see how people jog that first couple of miles on Centerline....heck the first half mile after the roundabout alone would be hard to do anything but hike up.

Don't give me too much credit... I totally had to walk up that first part of the race! (OK and a few more places too.) It really is more like hiking than running in some spots. I'm blown away that several people do this race in under an hour - wow!

@Pia and Eagleray: so cool that you saw my son! He really loved doing the race (and beating us all.)

Lori - I cherish the memories of our trip with you! Hope to get back there with you some day.