June 8th-14th, 2024

$445,998.26 was the total raised including Sylvester’s .50 :1 match.

This year’s funds will be directed to further research by Sylvester in cancer epigenetics, specifically Ewing Sarcoma and Mutations in Cancer

2024 Here Comes the Sun Tour – Runner’s Trip Report

All good plans rarely begin as such. Rather, there is usually a myriad of issues that arise along the way. This was certainly the case with the Castaways Against Cancer’s 2024 Here Comes the Sun Tour. In true Castaways spirit, the bumps in the road were not deterrents but reminders of why we do what we do: paddle, bike, and run for those affected by cancer.

This year’s running plan was simple: Vince would run half of the way to Key West, and Andrea would join him for his final 25 miles. Another runner would take on the second half, though who that would be was unknown at the time. But that wouldn’t stop the Castaways. After all, how hard could it be to find someone willing and able to run 85 miles straight?

As luck and the loyalty of their following would have it, an idea quickly evolved into an epic adventure. The Columbus alumni running group Still Hellions pondered how they could support the Castaways. Their answer? Relay from Miami to Key West!

It turned out they weren’t the first to think of this, but no one from the Castaways had attempted it before. Sure, there were ultra-runners covering mind-boggling distances, but that wasn’t quite their style. So, when Vince mentioned his plan to run from Castaways Against Cancer Beach (near Key Biscayne) to Islamorada—a cool 85 miles—the group thought, “Why don’t we pick up where he leaves off and relay the rest of the way to Key West?” And just like that, the plan was set, and an adventure was born.

The final plan was clear: Vince would start running from Castaways Against Cancer Beach at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, and finish 85 miles later in Islamorada. He’d be joined by Andrea for his last 25 miles, and they would both be supported by Ralph and Armando. Once they hit the 85-mile mark, there would be a ceremonial passing of the baton to the relay team, who would complete the run to Key West, with a planned stop in Marathon to sleep.

Finding a few brave souls willing to relay-run 85 miles wasn’t as challenging as finding someone who could do the full distance. Gaston quickly assembled a team of four runners—Gaston, Tica, Alex, and Will—to relay the last 85 miles to Key West. The team was set.

After months of meetings, planning, training, and worrying, the team was ready. Everything was falling into place, except for one small detail—the weather. In the days leading up to the run, Miami was drenched in rain, prompting jokes about trading their running shoes for rafts. Meanwhile, Vince secretly hoped for more rain.

The run kicked off at the newly named Castaways Against Cancer Beach in Key Biscayne. A torrential downpour greeted the team, but they remained undeterred. Armando gave Vince a questioning look, as if to say, “Are you sure you still want to do this?” With lightning cracking in the background, Vince decided there was no turning back. The rain would keep the temperature down and his body cool. A quick photo under the newly installed sign commemorated the moment, and the journey began.

Less than half a mile in, Vince was already soaked. As he approached the Rickenbacker Bridge, a lightning strike too close for comfort sent him sprinting for cover under some palm trees (which, by the way, is not advisable during a lightning storm). Despite the flooded streets and stormy conditions, Vince found the situation so absurd that he laughed, skipping through puddles and shin-deep water in Coconut Grove as if he were a kid heading to Disney for the first time.

At the 10-mile mark, the rain still hadn’t let up, but Vince had found his rhythm. The first real obstacle came at the Old Cutler Road and Kendall Drive intersection, where a car had crashed into the median, causing a backup. After a quick check with Ralph and Armando, and seeing that traffic was clearing up, they pressed on through Pinecrest toward Palmetto Bay.

Around Old Cutler and 160th Street, Vince told Ralph and Armando to meet him at the upcoming Farm Store. But in the time it took them to reorganize supplies and throw out some trash, Vince ran right past without anyone noticing. They sat there waiting, not realizing he had already continued his run. After a few minutes, they backtracked and searched for Vince but couldn’t find him.

Vince, without a phone to contact them, flagged down a kind lady and asked her to call his cell. Armando answered and spoke to the lady, who let them know Vince was fine but couldn’t say where he was—she wasn’t familiar with the area. Eventually, another call from an unknown number connected them to a security guard who helped pinpoint Vince’s location, and the journey resumed.

As night fell, Vince donned his reflective vest, which made it easier to track him. The rain continued, but he remained undeterred as he entered the Homestead area. Running past the local landfill, affectionately dubbed Mount Trashmore, Vince encountered a group of people hunting land crabs in knee-high grass, despite the pouring rain. Additionally, toads lined the road, adding to the surreal atmosphere.

At mile 38, they reached the Racetrac gas station in Florida City, marking the last stop before the remote stretch of Card Sound Road. Andrea and Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Sgt. Henry Rodriguez joined the team here. Henry informed them that parts of Card Sound Road might be flooded, but since there was no official closure, they decided to go for it.

Running through the 16-mile stretch of dark, quiet Card Sound Road was a highlight of the night. Vince pressed on with Andrea running a couple of warm-up miles beside him.

At mile 56, where Card Sound Road meets County Road 905, Vince had the option to turn left for an early finish at Ocean Reef (with a piña colada by the pool, of course!) or turn right and continue toward the Keys. Naturally, he chose the latter.

By mile 60, the rain had finally let up, and the next checkpoint, the Circle K gas station at the entrance to Key Largo, loomed in the distance. As the sun rose, Vince, feeling exhaustion, requested eggs for breakfast. There was no fast food in the area and there was no time to order breakfast from a restaurant. The only option was breakfast sandwiches from the Circle K. Much to everyone’s skepticism, Vince ate the egg from one sandwich and saved the other for later.

The Circle K marked an important milestone—Vince had completed 65 miles, with only 20 to go. Here, the team said goodbye to their guardian angel, Henry, who had kept traffic at bay and run interference with the local police that were questioning Vince’s sanity. Lastly, Andrea, having already run 8 miles with Vince, joined him for the last 20 miles. By this point, Vince’s fatigue was setting in, but Andrea kept him fueled and motivated.

Along the way, Vince and Andrea met David, a vacationer from Miami, who ran with them for about a mile.  Dave was inspired by their cause and made a donation to the cause shortly afterward.

Meanwhile, Tica, Alex, Will, and Gaston were all packed into their suspicious-looking white van, heading south to meet up with Vince and Andrea. As they neared the meetup point, they joined Vince and Andrea, cheering them on. With just 5 miles remaining on Vince and Andrea’s run, the relay team arrived, bringing renewed energy for the final stretch. Vince and Andrea were wrapping up their long run on now shaky legs as the adventure for the relay team was about to begin!

Andrea’s strategy of breaking the run into manageable chunks was crucial, specially towards the end of their run. Short checkpoints helped Vince push through. Setting short checkpoints—whether it was a car, a house, or another landmark—provided focus and kept Vince moving forward despite the pain and fatigue.  Andrea served as a motivator, guiding light and guardian angel for those last few miles.

Vince’s finish was triumphant. Completing the 85-mile run just before a truck weigh station and ahead of schedule, everyone joined in for the last 100 meters, running together, cheering, celebrating, and capturing the moment with photos. It was an emotional high after such an intense journey.

Vince carried a candle during his entire run, a symbolic reminder of why they do this. Castaways founder OB said it best: the candle inspires everyone to "light a candle instead of cursing the darkness." As tradition dictates, there was a ceremonial handoff of the candle from Vince to the relay team at the end of his run. This moment encapsulated the entire purpose of the event—to push back against the darkness of cancer with every step. The whole team took the obligatory hand-off picture (proof they were actually there), received a final pep talk from Armando, their fearless leader, and the relay team hit the road.

The day was more humid than hot, like running in a sauna.  Breaking the run into 3-mile chunks turned out to be a stroke of genius. With each runner’s start, the van would race ahead to the next expertly chosen exchange point. Despite the thick humidity, things went smoothly, thanks in part to an abundance of frozen mango and delicious sandwiches that kept them fueled.

To keep fans and supporters updated, each runner carried a GPS transmitter in a runner’s fanny pack, quickly nicknamed the “wet moko” due to how it felt after being handed off. As hours passed, the running, heat, and humidity began to take their toll. Breaks between legs felt shorter, and the energy in the van started to wane.

However, as they ran down Marathon Key toward the Seven Mile Bridge, they caught a second wind, imagining the day’s run was nearly complete. When Tica arrived after her Marathon leg, she looked different. Her face and body were covered in freckles. On closer inspection, they realized those “freckles” were actually the remains of a swarm of gnats that had tried to carry her off! Tica had completed her leg in near-record time with about 10 pounds of gnats stuck to her—on her body, face, teeth, and all! Who knows how many she swallowed or inhaled?

After that, it seemed prudent to pair up for the last legs of the day, just to ensure nobody got carried away by gnats. Finally, the team reached the foot of the Seven Mile Bridge and gathered their runners before heading to Upper Crust Pizza for a much-deserved dinner from Suzy and the restaurant—complete with ice-cold cervezas. Ahhh!

After filling up, it was off to the Abbey to shower and rest. They were lucky—no rain all day. But as soon as they stepped inside, the skies opened up with a vengeance. It looked like Friday was going to be a wet one!

At the Abbey, they were greeted by a wonderful note from the paddlers who had sought refuge there the night before. Despite the lingering scent, it was a fantastic setup courtesy of one of Castaways’ sponsors—St. Columba Episcopal Church. Getting clean never felt so good, and the cots were like giant pillows. Needless to say, they were out like lights.

Morning came quickly, and while they weren’t exactly bursting with energy, they eventually dragged themselves to the start of the Seven Mile Bridge to kick off the day. It was breezy and beautiful, a perfect start for Will and Alex.

The bridge was windy, and Will had his hands full keeping Alex from sprinting off at a 6-minute mile pace. When they finally reached the end of the bridge, Alex surprised everyone with a small talisman he’d picked up along the way—a Wisconsin license plate! This sparked a trend of collecting random souvenirs: shells, reflectors, almost a Bentley bumper, a baseball—you name it. The roadside treasures of the Keys were endless!

As the team continued, crossing bridge after bridge, they were blessed again with no rain. It was still hot and humid, but dry shoes were a luxury they didn’t take for granted. A special treat was their stop at Babe’s Coffee. Although the line was too long for Gaston to grab a quick espresso during his leg, he was thrilled when a double shot of “cafecito” awaited him at the next exchange point!

As they neared Key West, it was time to break out the Castaways flag and once again run in pairs. They hoisted it high and proudly ran the final miles into Key West, greeted by honks and cheers from passersby.

Of course, no trip to Key West is complete without a visit to the Southernmost Point. They headed there first, where Will rallied the crowd, sharing their cause and adventure, drawing cheers and applause. It was the perfect, gratifying end to an unforgettable run, topped only by their final run to the Hyatt, where they were greeted by the amazing Castaways Against Cancer Family.

After running an incredible distance the day prior, Vince and Andrea joined the entire relay team for the ceremonial final run to the landing area. It was a short run of about one block, timed to coincide with the paddler arrival and accommodate the mayors of Key West and Monroe County. In true Castaways fashion, something had to come up that would delay the runners. As the team was preparing to turn the corner into the final stretch, Vince once again made a new friend that was coming out of a bar. Somewhat tipsy, the man engaged Vince and was inspired by the mission of the Castaways. He committed to making a donation, reached into his pocket, and handed Vince $5. No names were exchanged, but his donation was logged as "the drunk gentleman from Texas." So, if this gentleman happens to read this trip report, know that your donation made it, and the Castaways thank you for your support.

After an exhausting 47 hours, pouring rain, lightning storms, humidity, heat, and swarms of gnats, the runners all made it safely to Key West, where they were greeted by loved ones and supporters. Collectively, the running team logged some incredible stats:

• Distance Run: 170 miles (equivalent to 6½ marathons)

• Total Individual Runner Mileage: 206 miles

• Distance Run Under Active Rainfall:  60 miles

• Steps Taken: Approximately 376,000

• Calories Burned: 23,375

• Team Sweat Shed: Feels like 18.3 gallons

• Approximate Gnats Vanquished: 5,623

Crossing the finish line was more than just the end of a run—it was the culmination of months of preparation, the support of an amazing team, and a deep commitment to the cause. As grueling as those final miles were, they pale in comparison to the pain so many people endure in their battles against cancer. That thought is what pushed the Castaways to continue when their legs wanted to quit.

This journey wasn’t just about the miles; it was about the people—the ones cheering them on, the ones they met along the way, and especially those they are fighting for. Vince would sum it up best, “Running alongside a community that’s so passionate about making a difference reminded me why we do this every year. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. And I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who supported us along the way. Together, we’re running towards a future where cancer no longer wins.”

• To see what the paddlers were doing 6 days leading up to our feet hitting the pavement, click here for their Trip Report and here for the Cyclist’s Trip Report..