No more participants can sign up for the 8 Tuff Miles foot race on St. John Feb. 27 because the 1,000-person quota set by the organizers is filled, Jeff Miller, a member of the organizing committee, said Friday.
The race begins at 7:15 a.m. at the V.I. National Park Ballfield in Cruz Bay. After heading 8.375 miles along Centerline Road, it ends at the Coral Bay Ballfield. Drivers should use North Shore Road to avoid delays.
The awards ceremony starts at 3:30 p.m. at Mongoose Junction shopping center.
Last year, 780 people finished the course. According to Miller, the race attracts "large kids, small kids, young kids, and old kids." Some are barely in elementary school and others are long-retired with all age groups in between.
This year, participants are expected from the Virgin Islands, the Caribbean, many states and Canada.
"It’s a great community event to see a thousand people run from one end of the island to another," Miller said.
In 2009, St. John resident Jeremy Zuber took top honors for the men with a time of 49 minutes and 35 seconds. He set a course record in 2006 of 49 minutes and 20 seconds.
Heather Gracie of Peapack, N.J. was first across the finish for the women in 2009 with a time of one hour, three minutes and 40 seconds. It was the first time she raced the 8 Tuff Miles.
The 8 Tuff Miles races involves many members of the community who volunteer in many capacities as well as staff water and entertainment stations that line the route along Centerline Road from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay.
Participants from St. Thomas should take the 6:30 a.m. ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas in order to be on time for the race start.
For more information, call race director Peter Alter at 779-4035.
