Places for a runner to run in Ocho Rios?

[adavidw]

Hi all,

 

We're doing a Western Caribbean cruise on Mariner of the Seas the first week in June that stops in Cozumel. I'll be right in the middle of training for a marathon at the time, and would like to at least attempt to keep up with my training while on the cruise.

 

Are there any runners here that know of any good place to run in Ocho Rios, like a good route or a running trail?

 

I could always hit the treadmill or the running track on the ship, but if I'm doing a long run of 14 miles, that's a lot of time to be on a treadmill. Also, if my previous experience with the running tracks on ships is any indication, I'll be spending more time dodging clueless passengers than actually putting in good time.

 

If no one knows of any specific place to go, would anyone want to comment on whether or not they feel it would be safe to just find a road and start running?

 

Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

-Aaron

[tabteks]

The routes are private - hotels, golf courses etc. Do not try to run on the road! Would suggest one of the more energetic activites like the Canopy Tour or Dunn's River.

[Capt_BJ]

visited Ocho many times via work and tried to be at least a maintenance runner.

 

I would run the roads very early in the morning....before traffic picked up. From the docks to DRF was a decent one.

 

BUT

 

by the time you get off a cruise ship I'd suggest that one not familiar with the driving customs of the island might have some problems :eek:

[adavidw]

Yes, I've heard a little bit about the driving customs on some of the Caribbean islands. Are there any back roads near the port or roads that are used very little?

[ECaribbean_Cruiser]

We just returned from our cruise that included Ocho Rios. I am a runner and ran from the ship for over an hour at 10 AM.

 

My advice is that if you have run anywhere in South America you will know what to expect regarding traffic in Ocho Rios and have no problems. Also, if you have run on the less developed islands in the Eastern Caribbean during the day you will also be fine running on Jamaica. That said, one of Jamaica's top cyclists was killed riding about a month ago on these roads.

 

If you have never run in these types of locals that I would suggest that you run on the ship instead. Yes, the traffic treats runners as a lower life-form than dogs. Drivers at least try to avoid dogs in the street!

 

I ran up Fern Gully which is a winding road so you have to watch the blind corners. The run to the falls is also nice but the truck traffic is heavy in that direction (no trucks are allowed on the Fern Gully road).

 

Hope this helps.

[kruise22]

I am not a runner but wanted to share my pre-wedding cab ride story. We got married in Ochos Rios in January and the cab taking us to our beach wedding ceremony actually hit a woman in the arm (it was a very loud thud) and kept driving us to our ceremony. It was a pretty crazy way to start our wedding day off. It is pretty dangerous there in terms of traffic/pedestrians.