Monday, November 26, 2018

November 26: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:


Cycling:

  • Friday, Nov. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended  (meetup.com
  • Friday, Dec 7: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers starting at a special time: 7:15 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (meetup.com)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

Triathlons:
  • Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
  • Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Longing for a longer race?


BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, 11/22/2018
by Ken Gooderham

Some of you may be reading this after enjoying one of the many 5Ks offered on Turkey Day.  (If you’re an early riser and ready to run, check out the local races on the adjacent list.)

If the Turkey Trot inspired you to look at more events and longer distances, you’re in luck. Our area is seeing an explosion of half marathons this season, starting with the Fall Classic Half held in Naples last weekend.

Half marathons are one of the fastest growing distances in running events… enough of a challenge to make you work for it, but not so much that training takes over your life. It also is a more manageable distance for both course distances and event times (compared to a marathon, at least), which is important if you need to use public roadways for your race course.

With this proliferation of halfs comes a desire (actually, a need) to make each event special (or at least different). That means a number of unique venues or features meant to make the race memorable (and to draw destination racers if possible). So you can pick a race that appeals to you in many different ways – from where you run to where you finish and the sights along the way, as well as the cause or nonprofit you’re running to support.

Speaking of different approaches, there are also a variety of training plans you can choose and use to get ready for your 13.1 miles of fun. Even though the distance is feasible for many runners, it’s still something you need to build toward… unless you’re already a committed distance runner (which means this is old news to you and you can move on to the Black Friday ads).

Once up on a time, you had just two half-marathon choices in Southwest Florida: The Naples Daily Hews Half (usually in January) in Naples and the Hooters Half (usually in March) in Fort Myers. (Hooters dropped the half after its 2017 running and has switched to sponsoring the River, Roots & Ruts 10-miler in Alva.)

No such limitations on choices this year… here are the races you can pick from locally:

  • Sunday, Dec. 9: Florida West Coast Half Marathon and 5K at Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org). The hook here is the finish, dubbed the “Final Floating Mile” where you run across the centerpiece lake at the park.
  • Sunday, Jan. 20: Naples Daily News Half Marathon at Cambier Park, Naples (napleshalfmarathon.net). Aside from running through some of the most expensive real estate on the Southwest Florida coast, this one also features cash prizes for open division and age groupers… so expect a lot of fast contestants.
  • Sunday, Feb. 3: Sarasota Music Half Marathon, downtown Sarasota (sarasotahalf.com). Starts at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center and runs out over the Ringling Causeway on Sarasota Bay to St. Armands Circle and back through south-of-downtown neighborhoods… also with a lot of bands along the race course to serenade or inspire you.
  • Sunday, Feb. 17: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Lely Resort, Naples (eliteevents.org). The finish here is at the Florida Sports Park, renowned for its swamp buggy races.
  • Saturday, March 2: City of Palms Half Marathon & 5K, Florida Gulf Coast University (cityofpalmshalf.com). Its first year, one of the two halfs looking to pick up the mantle of the Hooters Half. It winds through the campus and some adjacent neighborhoods east of the interstate.
  • Sunday March 3: Lazy Flamingo Half Marathon and Relay, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com). The other Hooters replacement, which winds through a few South Fort Myers neighborhoods and up McGregor before returning to the start/finish at the sponsoring restaurant.
  • Sunday, March 17: Marco Island Half Marathon & 5K, Marco Island (marcoislandhalfmarathon.com). This one features two high-bridge crossings (yes, actual hills of the manmade variety) and a lot of water views.
  • Sunday, March 24: First Watch Sarasota Half Marathon & Relay, downtown Sarasota (sarasotahalfmarathon.com). This event also takes you across Sarasota Bay to St. Armands, but the course heads further north from its Van Wezel starting point.

If you’re willing to travel, check out halfmarathons.net where you’ll find a half marathon almost every weekend… at least until the temperatures start to rise again and runners (and events geared for them) head indoors or up north.

So Happy Thanksgiving… sign up for a half and use that as your excuse for an extra helping of turkey today!

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  There are Turkey Trots galore this morning, in Cape Coral (the oldest event of the day), Estero, FGCU and Naples… but if you haven’t already registered you may not be able to get in (check their websites). If you missed your chance today, the next races will be Dec. 1 – the 10K River Run in downtown Fort Myers and a 5K run/walk in Naples. Info at gcrunner.org, 3dracinginc.com, ftmyerstrackclub.com, runsignup.com and eliteevents.org.


Ride? A Critical Mass slow roll on Saturday morning might be a good choice to rouse you from a turkey-induced stupor. Should you need a more rigorous effort to counteract your holiday indulgences, there’s the annual Iron Joe Turkey Ride with distances up to 62 miles on Sunday, along with the Wakey, Wakey! Rides that morning (and most Sunday mornings). Critical Mass returns to the streets of Cape Coral on Friday, Nov. 30, for its traditional night ride (lights required, helmets recommended). Finally, the local Trek stores are offering a Poker Ride Sunday, Dec. 2, with an 80-mile poker ride, and 4-mile blackjack ride and a 10-mile fun ride. Critical Mass details at meetup.com , the Iron Joe ride can be found at caloosariders.org, and the Trek details are at www.bikesignup.com/Race/FL/FortMyers/TrekPokerRide.


Both? Upcoming events include:
  • Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
  • Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
  • Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. 


 

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

There are always surprises on the roads and pathways


Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 11/21/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

I was startled by a replica of a black panther while on a run in Caloosahatchee Regional Park. DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY


Anyone who traverses our roads, pathways and trails surely has tales of things found or seen that were out of the ordinary. Of course, the slower your pace the more likely you’ll actually spot such curiosities. So, while it is possible to have these experiences when sitting behind the wheel or in the passenger seat of a moving motor vehicle (think of seeing your fellow motorist reading a newspaper while driving I-75, just to name one) unanticipated sightings are much more apparent when at a human pace. The frequency and detail increase as we move from bicycle speed to running then to walking. I’d like to relate a few of the more, shall I say, interesting items and sightings I’ve happened upon.

One re-occurring subject I’ve come upon over the years is discarded clothing, shoes and hair extensions. While these items can be lumped in with the glut of other litter our area is plagued by, these things stand out. It’s on or just after the weekend when these are most likely to be spotted and it’s always disturbing when underwear is among them. On one run across the Edison Bridge I found a prosthetic leg, which I reported to FDOT so they could add it to their lost and found box. Seeing things like that and hair extensions always leads me to conjure up stories of how they got there, adding some entertainment to my ride, run or walk.

Finding paper money isn’t nearly as ordinary as clothing and hair extensions items but discovering coins is quite common. However, Maria, my wife, seems to have an eye for the greenback — or she’s very lucky. A while back she found a $100 bill on our usual Sunday morning run. More recently she came home with over $125 in assorted bills scattered around an empty parking lot when she was on her eight-mile walk. The best I’ve ever done is a few dollar bills here and there. But I’ll continue to keep my eyes peeled.

Trail running frequently results in big surprises. Sometimes they’re wildlife-related and other times human wildlife themed. I’ve witnessed hawks grabbing snakes hanging in trees and flying away with them in their talons. At least twice I’ve had to change course due to very large rattlesnakes blocking the trail. Happening upon scores of wild boars is very common in places like Caloosahatchee Regional Park. At that same park I once turned a corner and came face to face what appeared to be a black panther (Yikes!) but was really a lifelike replica strategically placed to elicit just the reaction I exhibited.

The human wildlife I’ve encountered in woods off the beaten path (i.e., not in a park or other “official” public place) frequently include camps that the folks living there consider their homes. In most cases no one was there at the time but it still felt like I was an uninvited guest in their living room so I never lingered.

One time there were what appeared to be trip-wires around an area I couldn’t determine to be a typical camp for otherwise homeless people or something more nefarious, so I quickly retreated and never returned to that area. Another reoccurring theme I’ve happened upon in the woods that probably won’t surprise anyone is sexual activity of one kind or another. It’s obviously quite uncomfortable to (literally) run into such situations, so unless it appeared to be anything other than consensual — something I fortunately never encountered — I’d simply acknowledge their presence while continuing to move along.

An important aspect of seeing things up close and at slow speed is the ability to identify hazards that might otherwise be overlooked until something bad occurs. My injury prevention background means I can’t help but look at infrastructure quite critically and make mental notes or stop to take photos of things I feel need attention. I recently came upon a newly constructed sidewalk that presented a potentially serious hazard: the unfinished but unprotected curb ramp had a drop-off that could easily injure unknowing users, especially in the dark. A phone call to public works got the problem on their radar (although a week later it remained unaddressed). It shouldn’t be only safety-nerds like me to point out such hazards and problems to those who can fix them; anyone who happens upon them need only call or otherwise inform the jurisdiction responsible for addressing such matters. All the pertinent contact information can be found below.

Lee County: Request For Action hotline 533-9400 or an online form at www.leegov.com/dot/requestforaction/online-submission-form.

Cape Coral: Online at capecoral.net/services/citizen_support_center.php or Citizen Support Center at 574- 0425. You can also go to CapeCoral.net/Bicycling and click on the “Maintenance Requests” tab on the left side of the page which will take you to the city page.

Fort Myers: Public Works, 321-7445 or submit a request online at cityftmyers.com/761/Support-Center.

Sanibel: Public Works, 472-6397.

Fort Myers Beach: Online at fl-fortmyersbeach.civicplus.com or contact Public Works, 765-0202, ext. 1701.


Bonita Springs: Public Works Department, 949-6246 or online at cityofbonitasprings.org/for-residents/report-a-problem.

State roads: local operations center, 985-7800. ¦


- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.






Monday, November 19, 2018

November 19: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

  • Thursday, Nov. 22: 39th annual Turkey Trot 5K. Proceeds for the 39th Annual Turkey Trot benefit two Lee County programs that promote and reward healthy living and awareness in the community. 7:30 a.m., Cape Coral Wellness Center, Cape Coral (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: Thanksgiving Day 5K Run/Walk. The central location of Germain Arena creates the perfect location for Southwest Florida residents and vacationers to meet up for a Thanksgiving morning 5k run and walk. 7 a.m., Germain Arena, Estero (eliteevents.org
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: FGCU Gobbler 5K, Alico Arena, Fort Myers (runsignup.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: GCR Thanksgiving 5K, 7:30 a.m., Cambier Park, Naples (gcrunner.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 1: 40th Annual River Run 10K, downtown Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Dec. 1: CCSP 5K. Run or walk to benefit Collier County Public Schools. Barron Collier High School (gcrunner.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 8: Christmas Glow Run 5K, 6 p.m. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org)
  • Sunday, Dec. 9: Florida West Coast Half Marathon and 5K, 7 a.m., Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org)
  • Saturday, Dec. 15: Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K, 6 p.m., sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 22: Marco 5 Mile Hill Run, Marco island (gcrunner.org)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:

  • Saturday, Nov. 24: Saturday Slow Roll 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.  (meetup.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 25: Iron Joe Turkey Ride. Begins and ends at Fit & Fuel Bicycle CafĂ© in the Pavilion Shipping Center, Naples. Fully supported ride of 62, 40, 20 and 5 miles (caloosariders.org)
  • Sunday, Nov. 25: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. All levels, all bikes, leaves from Fort Myers Trek store at 7:30 a.m. on a different route each week (mostly on bike paths). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. (meetup.com)
  • Friday, Nov. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended  (meetup.com
  • Friday, Dec 7: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers starting at a special time: 7:15 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (meetup.com)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

Triathlons:
  • Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
  • Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.

Monday, November 12, 2018

November 12: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Saturday, Nov. 17: Inspiring Health 5K. The third annual Inspiring Health 5K, and 1 mile fun run brought to you by the Lee Health Healthy Life Center and Shipley Cardiothoracic Center.  Come join us as we gather at the brand new Lee Health Coconut Point facility. Lee Health Coconut Pointe, Estero (runsignup.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 18: Naples Fall Classic Half Marathon and 5K. ​The Naples Fall Classic Half Marathon features miles of scenic waterfront views, brand new paved nature trails, bridges and so much more.  7 a.m., Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: 39th annual Turkey Trot 5K, 7:30 a.m., Cape Coral Wellness Center, Cape Coral (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: Thanksgiving Day 5K Run/Walk, 7 a.m., Germain Arena, Estero (eliteevents.org
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: FGCU Gobbler 5K, Alico Arena, Fort Myers (runsignup.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: GCR Thanksgiving 5K, 7:30 a.m., Cambier Park, Naples (gcrunner.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 1: 40th Annual River Run 10K, downtown Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Dec. 1: CCSP 5K. Run or walk to benefit Collier County Public Schools. Barron Collier High School (gcrunner.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 8: Christmas Glow Run 5K, 6 p.m. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org)
  • Sunday, Dec. 9: Florida West Coast Half Marathon and 5K, 7 a.m., Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org)
  • Saturday, Dec. 15: Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K, 6 p.m., sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 22: Marco 5 Mile Hill Run, Marco island (gcrunner.org)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:

  • Sunday, Nov. 18: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. All levels, all bikes, leaves from Fort Myers Trek store at 7:30 a.m. on a different route each week (mostly on bike paths). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group (meetup.com)
  • Saturday, Nov. 24: Saturday Slow Roll 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.  (meetup.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 25: Iron Joe Turkey Ride. Begins and ends at Fit & Fuel Bicycle CafĂ© in the Pavilion Shipping Center, Naples. Fully supported ride of 62, 40, 20 and 5 miles (caloosariders.org)
  • Sunday, Nov. 25: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. All levels, all bikes, leaves from Fort Myers Trek store at 7:30 a.m. on a different route each week (mostly on bike paths). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. (meetup.com)
  • Friday, Nov. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended  (meetup.com
  • Friday, Dec 7: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers starting at a special time: 7:15 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (meetup.com)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

Triathlons:
  • Sunday, Nov. 18: Longboat Key Triathlon & Duathlon, sprint and Olympic tris, sprint and Olympic duathlon. Longboat Key Club & Resort (longboatkeytriathlon.com
  • Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
  • Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

SWFL Lost a Complete Streets Champion Today




 Celebrating the Life of Beth Brainard



We are sad to share the news that after a lengthy battle with cancer, Beth Brainard passed away on Wednesday, November 7, 2018. Her friends and colleagues are invited to a memorial service to celebrate her life on Saturday, November 17 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at The Moorings Country Club, 2500 Crayton Road, Naples, FL 34103. In lieu of flowers, she asked that donations be made in her name to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

Beth was honored by the City of Naples for her contribution to the community during her tenure with Naples Pathways Coalition. Please visit our website and scroll down to the News and Announcements section to watch the video of Mayor Bill Barnett reading the proclamation presented to Beth declaring October 2018 as Beth Brainard Month.

We will be forever grateful to Beth for her passion to create safe, bikeable and walkable communities, her efforts to change legislation that would make texting while driving a primary offense, and her work to educate motorists, cyclists and pedestrians of their responsibilities and how to safely share the roads.

Contact Us
phone: 239-777-7718
web: naplespathways.org
NPC Facebook

Mailing Address:
300 Fifth Ave. S, Suite 101, Box 464
Naples, FL 34102

President, Craig Manchen
Executive Director, Michelle Avola
email: Michelle@naplespathways.org




Less means more for safety


BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, 11/8/2018
by Ken Gooderham

Welcome to fall in Southwest Florida – or at least what passes for autumnal weather in the subtropics. It’s a time of year when we have to deal with less, and more.

Under the “less” category comes less heat and humidity – a welcome trend after a very long hot summer – as well as less daylight – which makes bikers, runners and walkers less likely to be seen by drivers.

On the “more” side, we definitely will have more people – as snowbirds return and visitors flock to fairer climes – which will mean more traffic (both vehicular and bike/ped) and more opportunities for unfortunate interactions between vehicles and non-vehicles.

It will also mean more people using our area’s bike/ped facilities – good news for awareness, bad news for possible accidents. So it’s time to brush up on your courtesy and competence skills, to ensure there’s room for all on the local paths and lanes.

More traffic and more bikers and walkers means more emphasis on safety – and that applies to all parties. It’s too easy to single out motor vehicles for blame in bike/ped incidents simply because they can do far more damage far too easily. But staying safe needs to be a mission undertaken by all the road (or road-adjacent) users, even though the risk is far higher for the more vulnerable users on foot or on bikes.

The Florida Department of Transportation has a campaign going on right now that emphasizes safety for all. Titled “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow,” it focuses on safety steps for all road users to increase awareness of risks and requirements along with a range of tools and reports (hey, it’s DOT… there has to be studies!) to increase safety for all parties.

The campaign breaks down into three areas:

  • Engineering: Primarily focused on Complete Streets, to give all road users a place of their own on state roadways.
  • Education: A variety of pieces and PSAs to spotlight safety measures for all concerned, including some good reminders we call think we already know but could stand to brush up on nonetheless.
  • Enforcement: The part nobody wants and everyone needs, with an effort to target high-risk areas with high-visibility enforcement activities… because the only way you get through to some people is with a ticket and a fine.

You can check out the details at alerttodayflorida.com, which has a range of links and logos and more reports than you can count. A lot of this is recent material that have been repackaged (or at least re-linked) for this campaign, and some of it is pretty technical… but there’s plenty of good information for all road users, it’s a good collection of road safety and design information for anyone form the novice to the knowledgeable, and the focus on the full spectrum of safety is a welcome one indeed.

With less light and more motorists, sharing the road or path or lane is more crucial than ever if everyone is going to arrive home safe. Anything that increases awareness of the need for everyone to strive for safety is a good message to hear..

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  Plenty of options if you’re looking for a run (or even walk), with a variety of distances and venues as well. This Saturday, you’ll have a 10K run (2K walk) in Olde Naples, a 5K as part of the Cape’s Coconut Festival, a chance to run across the river thanks to Midpoint Madness, and a tot walk and 5K in Punta Gorda. Next weekend, you can handle a half-marathon in Naples or a 5K in Estero or Naples – all building up to the annual Turkey Trots to celebrate Thanksgiving. Info at gcrunner.org, 3dracinginc.com, ftmyerstrackclub.com, runsignup.com and eliteevents.org.


Ride? Two Critical Mass events – NE Lee on Friday night and Sanibel on Saturday night – lead a slimmed-down cycling schedule. Lights are required for the night rides and helmets are recommended for all; details at meetup.com. You can also join the no-drop Wakey, Wakey! Sunday morning ride leaving from Fort Myers Trek. The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group.


Both? Upcoming events include:
  • Sunday, Nov. 18: Longboat Key Triathlon & Duathlon, sprint and Olympic-distance tris, plus a sprint and Olympic duathlon. Longboat Key Club & Resort (longboatkeytriathlon.com)
  • Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
  • Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
  • Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. 


 

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

So many weekends, so many events


Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 11/07/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com




The local running and walking season is underway, and there are numerous events in Southwest Florida. Here’s a list of events in coming months.

Saturday, Nov. 10: Achieva Credit Union’s Coconut Run 5K, 7:30 a.m. start time, Sun Splash Waterpark, Cape Coral. 3dracinginc.com.

Saturday, Nov. 10: Midpoint Madness 5K, 7 p.m. start time, Royal Palm Square, Fort Myers. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

Thursday, Nov. 22: Turkey Trot 5K, 7:30 a.m. start time, Cape Coral Hospital, Cape Coral. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

Thursday, Nov. 22: Thanksgiving Day 5K Walk/Run, 7 a.m. start time, Hertz Arena, Estero. www.eliteevents.org.

Saturday, Dec. 1: 40th annual River Run 10K and 2 Mile Fun Run/Walk, 8 a.m. start time; downtown Fort Myers. This classic running event, which traverses two bridges over the Caloosahatchee River, is our area’s longest continuously running road race. Its original name was Lee Memorial Hospital Run. Although Lee Health (formally known as Lee Memorial) is a sponsor of a number of local running events it is no longer involved in this one, something that is difficult to understand. Word is that unless it or another sponsor steps up this may be the last year for this event. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.





Saturday, Dec. 15: City Gate Ministries Downtown Christmas Run 5K and 1 Mile Walk, City Gate Ministries, downtown Fort Myers, 6 p.m. www.3dracinginc.com.

Sunday, Jan. 6: Hooters River Roots & Ruts Trail Half Marathon & 5K, 8 and 8:15 a.m. start times, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Alva. Although both the original River Roots, & Ruts and Hooter’s Half Marathons are no more, the RRR was resurrected by Hooters this past March — but goes back to the original RRR January date in 2019. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

Saturday, Jan. 19: Run to Home Base 5K & 10K, 8 a.m. start time, JetBlue Park, Fort Myers. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

Saturday, Jan. 26: Bug Chase 5K Run/ Walk, 7:30 a.m. start time, Calusa Nature Center, Fort Myers. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

Saturday, Feb. 2: Strides for Education 5K Run/Walk, details upcoming. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

Sunday, Feb. 3: Publix Run to the Arts 5K, 8:15 a.m. start time, Riverfront, downtown Fort Myers. It’s on the final day of the weekend-long Art Fest, our area’s premier outdoor art festival. endurancesportstiming.com.

Sunday, Feb. 10: Edison Junior Parade Races, various morning start times, downtown Fort Myers. Lots of family activities as part of the Junior Parade day. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

Saturday, Feb. 16: Edison Fest 5K Run/Walk, 5:45 p.m. start time, downtown Fort Myers. One of the country’s largest night parades immediately follows the race. www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

This list as well as many other active events throughout Southwest Florida are always available on this blog.¦

- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.






Monday, November 5, 2018

November 5: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Saturday, Nov. 10: Achieva Credit Union Coconut Run 5K, 7:30 a.m., Sun Splash/Coconut Festival, Cape Coral (3dracinginc.com)
  • Saturday, Nov. 10: Olde Naples 10K run/2K walk, 7:30 a.m.(gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Nov. 10: Midpoint Madness 5K, 7.00 p.m., Midpoint Bridge (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 11: Twins Tot Walk and 5K, 4:15 p.m., Laishley Park, Punta Gorda (runsignup.com)
  • Saturday, Nov. 17: Inspiring Health 5K, Lee Health Coconut Pointe, Estero (runsignup.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 18: Naples Fall Classic Half Marathon and 5K, 7 a.m., Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: 39th annual Turkey Trot 5K, 7:30 a.m., Cape Coral Wellness Center, Cape Coral (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: Thanksgiving Day 5K Run/Walk, 7 a.m., Germain Arena, Estero (eliteevents.org
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: FGCU Gobbler 5K, Alico Arena, Fort Myers (runsignup.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 22: GCR Thanksgiving 5K, 7:30 a.m., Cambier Park, Naples (gcrunner.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 1: 40th Annual River Run 10K, downtown Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Dec. 1: CCSP 5K. Run or walk to benefit Collier County Public Schools. Barron Collier High School (gcrunner.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 8: Christmas Glow Run 5K, 6 p.m. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org)
  • Sunday, Dec. 9: Florida West Coast Half Marathon and 5K, 7 a.m., Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org)
  • Saturday, Dec. 15: Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K, 6 p.m., sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org
  • Saturday, Dec. 22: Marco 5 Mile Hill Run, Marco island (gcrunner.org)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:

  • Friday, Nov. 9: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended (meetup.com)
  • Saturday, Nov. 10: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended (meetup.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 11: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. All levels, all bikes, leaves from Fort Myers Trek store at 7:30 a.m. on a different route each week (mostly on bike paths). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group (meetup.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 18: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. All levels, all bikes, leaves from Fort Myers Trek store at 7:30 a.m. on a different route each week (mostly on bike paths). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group (meetup.com)
  • Saturday, Nov. 24: Saturday Slow Roll 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.  (meetup.com)
  • Sunday, Nov. 25: Iron Joe Turkey Ride. Begins and ends at Fit & Fuel Bicycle CafĂ© in the Pavilion Shipping Center, Naples. Fully supported ride of 62, 40, 20 and 5 miles (caloosariders.org)
  • Friday, Nov. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended  (meetup.com)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

Triathlons:
  • Sunday, Nov. 18: Longboat Key Triathlon & Duathlon, sprint and Olympic tris, sprint and Olympic duathlon. Longboat Key Club & Resort (longboatkeytriathlon.com
  • Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
  • Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.