Vax to Flax

Former faculty member Chuck Nittrouer started the tradition by setting up an extremely competitive and very highly organized event. The faculty trained seriously, including running the entire course several times in the weeks leading up to the race. The event started early so that most of the runners would cross the LIRR tracks before the morning train came in. Students were placed at the 25A crossing to stop traffic, which angered many of the local drivers. Local neighbors along the route, including SoMAS’s Cindy Lee, have been known to cheer on passerby. Over the years, many have competed in costume and there are many stories about practical jokes and other pranks played on competitors.

The winning team is determined by taking the average scores of the top faculty/staff and students that cross the finish line.  This includes the top five faculty, and the top ten students.  The team with the highest average score wins the bragging rights for the year.

The event is named after a Digital VAX computer in the SoMAS data center in Endeavour Hall and the Flax Pond Marine Laboratory maintained by SoMAS. In the 1990 MSRC Graduate Studies brochure, the Vax computing systems helped advertise the computing resources at the Center. SoMAS has long since retired the namesake Vax computing systems, although the Data Center still utilizes a power conditioning unit purchased at that time.

The original race course actually started at Flax Pond and finished at the Vax. At some point in the 1990s, the course reversed and started at SoMAS and traveled around the western edge of Circle Drive, crossed at the Stony Brook LIRR train station and proceeded north on Quaker Path / Mount Gray Road to the Flax Pond Marine Laboratory.

In 2011, Vax to Flax reverted back to the original course and started at Flax Pond. The race followed the same path as before, but now ended at SoMAS. This route took advantage of the ample parking at SoMAS for the after-race events.

In 2014, the Flax to Vax route was changed to the Vax to Vax, with the route now starting at SoMAS, circling the campus and returning back to SoMAS. With this route, everyone in the race could walk on sidewalks and avoid walking in the street. Quaker Path and Mount Gray Road do not have sidewalks, and when cars pass along the road it can be dangerous. Additionally, volunteers were needed to help direct traffic crossing 25A. With the route staying on campus, fewer volunteers were needed to organize the event and there were no concerns about parking/shuttling people from one location to another and back.

Every race ends with the barbeque hosted at the finish line, where everyone can enjoy food, beverages and games. The event is a very relaxed way for faculty and staff to gather.

In addition to bragging rights, the winners are memorialized with a virtual plaque on the SoMAS web site.

The articles below chronicle the Vax to Flax races held over the years.