Dan Moser Column: Streets becoming more complete as TIGER progresses

The TIGER project is making a difference. Our streets are becoming more pedestrian- and bicycle friendly: Dan Moser in the Florida Weekly.

Florida Weekly Outdoors section: Dan Moser's column June 29, 2016

What does $10 million mean for local efforts to complete our streets? When all the work is done there’ll be 13 miles of additional bike lanes and shared-use pathways from Colonial Boulevard to the north, SR 82 to the east, and south to the Collier County line. The USDOT award also includes 11 new LeeTran bus shelters, most of which are already constructed and open for use. Here’s a summary of the subprojects:

¦ Tour de Parks route: Two new shared use pathway segments on Daniels Parkway, a new bike lane on Six Mile Cypress Parkway, and a shared-use path on Colonial.

¦ University Loop/San Carlos Park: New sidewalk segments on Constitution Boulevard, Iris Road, Constitution Circle, Sanibel Boulevard and Lee Road.

¦ Bi-County Connector: New bikelanes on Corkscrew Road and a shared use path and two sidewalks around FGCU’s main entrance roadway.

¦ Transit access improvements: 11 passenger waiting shelters and 20 concrete landing pads with associated ADA access infrastructure.

Old meets new where the Colonial Boulevard shared 
use path intersects with North Colonial Trail. 
DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY

The money - our tax dollars that were sent to Washington and directed back via the competitive discretionary grant award program called TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) - was approved for Lee County to further our Complete Streets initiative.

It took three attempts but was well worth the time and effort committed by many individuals and agencies, including BikeWalkLee. The application was formally submitted by Lee Metropolitan Planning Organization, the agency that serves as the critical link connecting all of our local governments and citizens to the Florida Department of Transportation and the various Federal transportation funders.

Lee MPO is now the manager of the funds, which have a specific deadline for all work to be completed. At this point it’s looking like each of the sub-projects will be done along with an added benefit not originally included in the application.

Thanks to some of the sub-projects coming in below estimates there was a surplus of dollars that will be put to good use: a wayfinding element was submitted and recently approved by USDOT. Signs and markings will be added throughout the project’s geographic limits and will be the first phase of enhancing the entire bike/ped network throughout Lee County. Eventually, with other funds yet to be identified, anyone will be able to access routes, directions, and maps electronically via GPS apps. Unrelated to TIGER funds, our hard-copy bike map will be updated and published once all TIGER project work is complete.

Wayfinding is clearly a basic element of any transportation network so having the funds available to add it at least throughout the project’s geographic limits is welcome. That being said, I’ve noticed shortcomings in some of the gap-filling. At least in some cases, existing substandard segments are left in place so 8-, 10- or 12-foot wide asphalt shared-use paths narrow to 5-foot concrete sidewalks then go back to asphalt SUPs. As well, at some intersections the existing pedestrian-designed configuration remains, meaning SUPs skinny down to 5 feet and have severe 90-degree turns in them, making it very difficult for bicyclists to navigate. Refuge areas for bicyclists waiting to cross is also very limited in these cases since the design assumes pedestrian traffic only.

On major highways like Colonial and Daniels there’s significantly more bicycle traffic so infrastructure should accommodate both modes. More information on TIGER in Lee County can be found at leecompletestreets.leempo.com and bikewalklee.blogspot.com.

Fort Myers Track Club needs your help

Our area’s oldest running club and most accomplished race organizer and facilitator is in need of volunteers to help with the many elements necessary to make these events happen at the high level they’re well known for since being established in 1978.

FMTC is looking for communityminded individuals interested in serving on the board of directors, designing and marking race courses, working on electronic registration and race day timing and assisting in race day tasks.

Whether you’re a runner, former runner or just interested in running, consider becoming part of the FMTC leadership team and worker-bee family. You can contact them at fmtcinfo@gmail.com or visit their website (ftmyerstrackclub.com) or Facebook pages.

- 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.

June 27th: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

Here is an overview of upcoming outdoor events, including the 4th of July running and walking events in Lee and Collier counties, and Critical Mass rides in Fort Myers and on Sanibel. These are fun rides for bicyclists of all ages and skill levels. Just make sure to bring front and rear lights and a helmet. Be safe out there.

Upcoming events
Running/walking:

Cape Coral Freedom 5K (photo: capecoral.com)

• Monday, July 4: Freedom 5K. Run the Cape Coral Bridge for the Fourth, Starts from 2501 Cape Coral Parkway (freedom5kcc.com)
• Monday, July 4: USA Independence Day 5K (run and walk), Germain Arena (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, July 4: Moe’s Firecracker 5K, Fleishmann Park, Naples (gcrunner.org)
• Saturday, July 23: Eagle Lakes 5K, Eagle Lakes Community Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
• Saturday, Aug. 20: North Collier Regional Rampage 5K, North Collier Regional Park. (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, Sept. 5: Labor Day 5K, starts at 7:30 a.m. at Lowdermilk Park, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
• Saturday, Sept. 24: Run Wild 5K, and 1K kids race. Wear your best wildlife attire, benefits the Conservancy and Naples Zoo. Starts from the Naples Zoo parking lot, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. (gcrunner.org)

Cycling:

• 

  Critical Mass ride

  Friday, July 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm or Facebook)
• Sunday, July 3: Wheels and Wings VII, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Starts and finishes at Beef O’Brady’s in Punta Gorda, with 15-, 32- and 62-mile rides, a 50-mile Gravel Grinder and the Speed Trap Alley. Peace River Riders Bicycle Club, info on Eventbrite.com.
• Friday, July 8: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll out at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Saturday, July 9: Sanibel Critical mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.

Triathlons:

• Sunday, July 10: American Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon in Naples, sprint triathlon and duathlon (eliteevents.org)
• Saturday, July 16: Englewood Sprint tri (swflymca.org)
• Saturday, Aug. 6: TRISK Tri Siesta Key Olympic and Sprint Tris and Duathlon (multirace.us)

Plan ahead. Other upcoming area tris include:

• Venice Sprint Sept. 3 (swflymca.org),
• Galloway Captiva Tri Weekend Sept. 10-11 (captivatri.org),
• Siesta Kay Sprint Tri Sept. 24 (siestakeytriathlon.org)
• Marco Island Sprint Oct. 2 (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com).

Willing to drive? Check trifind.com for other state tris.

Running tips to beat the heat

This week's BWL column has some advice to make those who keep running in the heat of summer as safe and comfortable as possible.

News-Press "Go Coastal" BikeWalkLee Column, June 22, 2016 

In case you hadn’t noticed, summer arrived with a vengeance. The heat starts early and the rain follows along later, making outdoor activities a little more challenging.

Our climate shouldn’t chase you inside, but it does mean you need to make adjustments and plan ahead to keep cool(er) and safe – particularly since we have such a stretch of heat, sometimes even reaching dangerous heat indexes (which is a good reason to be careful or even head inside that day).

From a variety of sources, some tips for running in the heat (they work for walking as well):

(Photo: Sarah Coward/news-press.com)

Make adjustments: Don’t do long or higher-intensity workouts during the heat of the day. Go early (cooler but more humid) or late (warmer and better chance for rain) instead. Whatever the time, pick routes with shade. As a general rule, start your workout slower than you usually do. If you’re feeling good halfway through, it’s okay to speed up a little bit.

Wear as little as possible: Wear apparel that’s light in color, lightweight, and has vents or mesh. Microfiber polyesters and cotton blends are good fabric choices. Also, think about wearing a hat, shades, and sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher for further protection.

Drink early and often: Top off your fluid stores with 16 ounces of water or a sports drink an hour before you head out. Then toss down five to eight ounces about every 20 minutes while working out. Pick the liquid that works best for you; sports drinks often beat water because they contain electrolytes, which increase your water-absorption rate, replace the electrolytes you lose in sweat, and taste good, making it easy to drink more (important on long runs). Also watch your alcohol and meds: Alcohol, antihistamines and antidepressants can all have a dehydrating effect.

Be cool. Keep it cold to keep your cool… colder liquids help lower your core body temperature from the inside, and dumping a little water on you mid-run can help your skin temperature feel less hellish (as long as your clothing cooperates). A little rain might not even hurt – as long as there’s no lightning on the horizon.

Check the breeze: If possible, start your run going with the wind and then run back with a headwind. Running into the wind has a cooling effect, and you’ll need that in the second half of a run. Also running on asphalt after a hot day won’t be too cool, since the surface holds the heat. If you run after a rain, it can help... or look for a grassy route.

Slow down: Every 5-degree rise in temperature can slow your pace by as much as 20 to 30 seconds per mile. So don’t fight it - just slow down (you’ll get the pace back when it cools off).

Run in water: Substitute your outdoor walk or run with a pool-running session of the same duration. If you’re new to pool running, use a flotation device and simply move your legs as if you were running on land, with a slightly exaggerated forward lean and vigorous arm pump. Deeper water offers more resistance… and keeps more of you covered in water.

By Ken Gooderham, BikeWalkLee

-- BikeWalkLee is 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.

June 20th: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

The dog days of summer are here... plan an early morning event to beat the heat.

Upcoming events
Running/walking:

• Monday, July 4: Freedom 5K. Run the Cape Coral Bridge for the Fourth, Starts from 2501 Cape Coral Parkway (freedom5kcc.com)
• Monday, July 4: USA Independence Day 5K (run and walk), Germain Arena (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, July 4: Moe’s Firecracker 5K, Fleishmann Park, Naples (gcrunner.org)
• Saturday, July 23: Eagle Lakes 5K, Eagle Lakes Community Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
• Saturday, Aug. 20: North Collier Regional Rampage 5K, North Collier Regional Park. (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, Sept. 5: Labor Day 5K, starts at 7:30 a.m. at Lowdermilk Park, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
• Saturday, Sept. 24: Run Wild 5K, and 1K kids race. Wear your best wildlife attire, benefits the Conservancy and Naples Zoo. Starts from the Naples Zoo parking lot, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. (gcrunner.org)

Cycling:

• Friday, June 24: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Saturday, June 25: SW Florida Critical Mass will offer a starter/sightseeing ride on Saturday; gather at 9 a.m., roll at 9:15 a.m. from 2160 McGregor Blvd. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
• Friday, July 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm or Facebook)
• Sunday, July 3: Wheels and Wings VII, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Starts and finishes at Beef O’Brady’s in Punta Gorda, with 15-, 32- and 62-mile rides, a 50-mile Gravel Grinder and the Speed Trap Alley. Peace River Riders Bicycle Club, info on Eventbrite.com.
• Friday, July 8: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll out at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Saturday, July 9: Sanibel Critical mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.

Triathlons:

• Sunday, June 25: TRISK Tri Siesta Key, sprint and Olympic tri plus duathlon. (multirace.us)
• Sunday, July 10: American Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon in Naples, sprint triathlon and duathlon (eliteevents.org)
• Saturday, July 16: Englewood Sprint tri (swflymca.org)
• Saturday, Aug. 6: TRISK Tri Siesta Key Olympic and Sprint Tris and Duathlon (multirace.us)

Plan ahead: Other upcoming area tris include:

• Venice Sprint Sept. 3 (swflymca.org),
• Galloway Captiva Tri Weekend Sept. 10-11 (captivatri.org),
• Siesta Kay Sprint Tri Sept. 24 (siestakeytriathlon.org)
• Marco Island Sprint Oct. 2 (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com).

Willing to drive? Check trifind.com for other state tris.

Dan Moser Column: Bicycling appears to be on the upswing in Southwest Florida

Dan's column this week highlights the increases in people riding bikes in SWFL, thanks to the combined efforts of many.

Florida Weekly Outdoors section: Dan Moser's column June 15, 2016

It may be just my imagination or wishful thinking, but there seems to be a major increase in the number of people riding bikes on the streets and pathways of Southwest Florida.

Along with the many walkers and runners out, there it seems as if there’s a real movement among all ages to be active on a regular and sustainable basis. Besides those using human power for recreation and exercise there also appears to be an uptick of commuters and functional cyclists and walkers.

Could it be possible that the efforts and messages coming from so many sources to include physical activity in our lives are having the intended effect?

One way to say for sure is to have bike/ped counts to confirm this speculation. Unfortunately, this is one area in which we’re very far behind the curve. We’ve been counting motor vehicles on a routine basis for many decades now, yet we still have no technology in place to do the same for nonmotor modes. Occasional observational counts at specific locations and one antiquated mobile camera system are the only methods I’m aware of being used, neither on a regular basis. So we’re left to speculate and guess, meaning it’s hard to argue for money to fund improvements or mitigate high bike/ped crash locations.

The Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club Ride of Silence, honoring those injured or killed in cycling on public roadways, drew a variety of riders in Fort Myers in May.

As for the apparent increased participation, persistent efforts by local groups like BikeWalkLee, Healthy Lee, American Heart Association, Lee County Injury Prevention Coalition, American Lung Association and the Lee County School District, along with national promotions from organizations such as Centers for Disease Control, have undoubtedly been vital.

But let’s not forget about the “fun factor” that come from events like our Streets Alive Critical Mass outings and weekly “newbie” rides. In my opinion, those are having as much impact as any formal health promotion campaigns or advocacy that’s taking place.

Many of our local bike shops and bike clubs such as Caloosa Riders are very active in organizing and hosting group rides, including offering first-timers or those otherwise less experienced a “no rider left behind” option.

This is very important in helping to build confidence for those who may be intimidated by the “serious cyclists” they see on our roads. And being able to fix a flat tire in the field is often perceived by inexperienced riders as one of the most daunting tasks, if for no other reason than the thought of being left behind as the group moves on.

An added benefit of these newcomer rides is an opportunity to raise awareness of the work groups like BikeWalkLee do, and to encourage them to get civically involved, whether as part of that coalition or in other ways.

Participants are also offered a “rules of the roads and pathways” briefing, arming them with vital information that can literally be lifesaving. For many this may be the first and only time they learn about laws specific to cyclists and how behaving badly can have both immediate and far-reaching impacts.

Likewise, Critical Mass rides include a briefing about the need to operate safely and with courtesy while still having fun using the public streets. But in contrast to the other group rides these are almost parade-like and usually include many more participants, sometimes into the hundreds. This makes a big difference in the dynamics taking place on the streets and among participants. But there’s strength and safety in numbers so “the more the merrier” definitely applies to Critical Mass rides.

You can learn more about these events at meetup.com/Biking-SWFL.

This year’s Ride of Silence is an example of rides that attract a wide variety of cyclists. ¦

— 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 or 334- 6417.

June 13th: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

The dog days of summer are here..plan an early morning event to beat the heat.

Upcoming events
Running/walking:

• Saturday, June 18: 8th Annual Summer Sizzler 5K. Starts 7 a.m. at Jaycee Park, Cape Coral. (3dracing.com)
• Saturday, June 18: Sugden Stride 5K, 7 a.m. at Sugden Regional Park in Naples. (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, July4: Freedom 5K. Run the Cape Coral Bridge for the Fourth, Starts from 2501 Cape Coral Parkway (freedom5kcc.com)
• Monday, July 4: USA Independence Day 5K (run and walk), Germain Arena (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, July 4: Moe’s Firecracker 5K, Fleishmann Park, Naples (gcrunner.org)

Cycling:

• Friday, June 24: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Saturday, June 25: SW Florida Critical Mass will offer a starter/sightseeing ride on Saturday; gather at 9 a.m., roll at 9:15 a.m. from 2160 McGregor Blvd. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
• Friday, July 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm or Facebook)
• Sunday, July 3: Wheels and Wings VII, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Starts and finishes at Beef O’Brady’s in Punta Gorda, with 15-, 32- and 62-mile rides, a 50-mile Gravel Grinder and the Speed Trap Alley. Peace River Riders Bicycle Club, info on Eventbrite.com

Triathlons:

• Saturdays, June 4-25: Triathlon Kids Camp with Coach Angie Ferguson, ages 6-13, Cypress Lake Sunday, June 25: TRISK Tri Siesta Key, sprint and Olympic tri plus duathlon. (multirace.us)
• Sunday, July 10: American Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon in Naples, sprint triathlon and duathlon Saturday, July 16: Englewood Sprint tri (swflymca.org)
• Saturday, Aug. 6: TRISK Tri Siesta Key Olympic and Sprint Tris and Duathlon (multirace.us)
• Plan ahead: Other upcoming area tris include:
• Venice Sprint Sept. 3 (swflymca.org),
• Galloway Captiva Tri Weekend Sept. 10-11 (captivatri.org),
• Siesta Kay Sprint Tri Sept. 24 (siestakeytriathlon.org)
• Marco Island Sprint Oct. 2 (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com).
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com for other state tris.

BikeWalkLee: With school out, make sure caution is in

This week's BWL column reminds drivers and cyclists that school is out for the summer and they need to be watching for kids playing, walking or biking on or near the roadways and bike paths.
 
News-Press "Go Coastal" BikeWalkLee Column, June 9, 2016

School’s out! For most students, those are words worth celebrating.

But, for drivers and cyclists, they should ring a more cautionary note – because it means more kids riding and playing on our roadways and bike paths.

That not only means more people out and about, but more people who may not have the full scope of skills necessary to interact with other traffic will be on the roads. So if the kids aren’t always paying attention, the adults need to.

For drivers, that means watching out for kids playing or riding near the roadway, and being prepared if they get too near to traffic. It’s always important to follow ALL the rules of the road – such as stopping for school buses (as last week’s tragedy underscored), being aware of bike and pedestrian traffic (particularly at intersections) and adjusting your driving when weather conditions change (such as allowing more time to stop on a wet road). So, slow down and anticipate – and hope nothing will happen.

For cyclists, it can mean being similarly watchful on bike paths and roadways, wary for the unexpected or unconventional and ready to react to avoid a collision. Biking defensively is always a good plan, whatever traffic you’re traversing.

Also look out for kids on the Sanibel path

Parents, this is a good time to remind your children about being smart and safe this summer. You want them to go out and play (gets them out of the house, which is usually a good thing) – so tell them how to do it right:

• Teach them the rules of the road. Bike with traffic, walk against it. Unless their skills are sharp, tell them to stay away from sharing the road. On shared-use paths, yield to pedestrians and be consistent around other cyclists

• Helmets on – it’s the law. If your child (under age 16) has a helmet, they have to wear it while biking, according to state law. If they don’t have a helmet, you need to buy them one – today.

• Pay attention. It’s always fun to be a clueless kid, but not being aware of your surroundings can be dangerous on a whole bunch of levels. You don’t want to raise a fearful kid, just a watchful one.

• Kids, there’s nothing better than the fun and freedom a bike can bring. Just remember the three Bs: Be visible, be predictable and be careful.

Enjoy your summer – those school bells (if they still have those) will be ringing again way too soon.

 By Ken Gooderham, BikeWalkLee

-- BikeWalkLee is 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.

Ready to ride or run?

Run: On Saturday, you can support Oasis High School football in Cape Coral at its inaugural 5K (3dracing.com). The following Saturday, there’s the Summer Sizzler 5K at Cape’s Jaycee Park (3dracing.com) or the Sugden Stride 5K in Naples (eliteevents.org).

Ride: Critical Mass rides dominate the calendar again: Friday it’s Northeast Lee (gathers at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll out at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd.);  on Saturday the site is Sanibel (gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way). Both are night rides, so lights are required and helmets recommended.

Both: Your next local tri is Saturday, June 25, with the TRISK Tri Siesta Key, sprint and Olympic tri plus duathlon (multirace.us). July brings tris in Naples and Englewood – and if you’re planning to do one in September (such as the local Galloway Captiva Tri), now’s the time to sign up before all the slots are gone and start training.

#BeSeenLee

#BeSeenLee: To keep people safe at night while biking, we’re working to provide free bike lights to those unable to afford them (but who have to ride at night). BikeWalkLee partners (including Pawnbroker Marketing and Billy's Bikes) will be coordinating events during this campaign. Be sure to watch the BikeWalklee Facebook and Twitter pages for more #BeSeenLee event announcements and details.

June 6th: Upcoming Events

Hello southwest Florida, hope everyone is staying safe in the midst of this tropical storm and gnarly weather! Here are some events coming up this summer for our sunshiny days. 

Upcoming events
Running/walking:

• Saturday, June 11: Inaugural Oasis HS Running with the Sharks 5K, to benefit Oasis High football. Starts at 7:15 a.m. at 3519 Oasis Blvd, Cape Coral (3dracing.com)
• Saturday, June 18: 8th Annual Summer Sizzler 5K. Starts 7 a.m. at Jaycee Park, Cape Coral. (3dracing.com)
• Saturday, June 18: Sugden Stride 5K, 7 a.m. at Sugden Regional Park in Naples. (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, July4: Freedom 5K. Run the Cape Coral Bridge for the Fourth, Starts from 2501 Cape Coral Parkway (freedom5kcc.com)
• Monday, July 4: USA Independence Day 5K (run and walk), Germain Arena (eliteevents.org)
• Monday, July 4: Moe’s Firecracker 5K, Fleishmann Park, Naples (gcrunner.org)
•  

Cycling:

• Friday, June 10: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll out at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Saturday, June 11: Sanibel Critical mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Friday, June 24: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Saturday, June 25: SW Florida Critical Mass will offer a starter/sightseeing ride on Saturday; gather at 9 a.m., roll at 9:15 a.m. from 2160 McGregor Blvd. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
• Friday, July 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm or Facebook)
• Sunday, July 3: Wheels and Wings VII, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Starts and finishes at Beef O’Brady’s in Punta Gorda, with 15-, 32- and 62-mile rides, a 50-mile Gravel Grinder and the Speed Trap Alley. Peace River Riders Bicycle Club, info on Eventbrite.com

Triathlons:

• Saturdays, June 4-25: Triathlon Kids Camp with Coach Angie Ferguson, ages 6-13, Cypress Lake Sunday, June 25: TRISK Tri Siesta Key, sprint and Olympic tri plus duathlon. (multirace.us)
• Sunday, July 10: American Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon in Naples, sprint triathlon and duathlon Saturday, July 16: Englewood Sprint tri (swflymca.org)
• Saturday, Aug. 6: TRISK Tri Siesta Key Olympic and Sprint Tris and Duathlon (multirace.us)
• Plan ahead: Other upcoming area tris include:
• Venice Sprint Sept. 3 (swflymca.org),
• Galloway Captiva Tri Weekend Sept. 10-11 (captivatri.org),
• Siesta Kay Sprint Tri Sept. 24 (siestakeytriathlon.org)
• Marco Island Sprint Oct. 2 (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com).
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com for other state tris.