December 31: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

• Monday, Jan. 1: Dave Cranor 5K/Big Dave’s Polar Plunge. Get your new year started out right! Come join us for this free 5k race on new year's day! Free champagne included! The 5k begins at 7:30 a.m. There will be a clock for finish time, but this is a fun run. No chip timing. No need to sign up for the 5k. Lowdermilk Park, Naples. (gcrunner.org).
• Saturday, Jan. 6: 3rd Annual Facial Hair for Cancer Causes, 10K/5K run, 2 mile walk. Tara Woods, North Fort Myers (3dracinginc.com)
• Sunday, Jan. 14: Naples Daily News Half Marathon, Old Naples (gcrunner.org).
• Friday-Saturday, Jan 19-20: Wings Over Water Festival. Guided walk through Harns Marsh. 8 a.m., Harns Marsh, Lehigh Acres. Admission is free. (wingsoverwaterfestival.com/WOWJan20/)
  
• Saturday, Jan. 20: Wings Over Water Festival 5K Nature Run, 7.45 a.m., Harns Marsh, Lehigh Acres. Registration required (wingsoverwaterfestival.com/wings-over-water-festival-5k-nature-run/)
  
• Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 20-21: Tour de Cape. 5K run/walk and 3-mile kid’s ride Saturday, rides of 15-, 30-, 60- and 100-miles Sunday. All based at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral (www.tourdecape.net)
• Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Calusa Bug Chase, 5K run/walk, Calusa Nature Center, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
• Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Hands Across The Harbor half marathon. 5K run/walk, and bike rides of 13.1-, 20- or 30-miles. (www.handsacrosstheharbor.com)
• Saturday, Jan. 27: 11th annual run for the Paws 5K Run/Walk, Airport-Pulling Road, Naples (www.gcrunner.org)
• Sunday, Feb. 18: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Lely Resort, Naples (www.paradisehalf.com)
• For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:

• Friday, Jan. 5: 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/Biking-SWFL/events/)
• Friday, Jan. 12: 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/Biking-SWFL/events/)
• Saturday, Jan. 13: 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/Biking-SWFL/events/) 
• Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 20-21: Tour de Cape. 5K run/walk and 3-mile kid’s ride Saturday, rides of 15-, 30-, 60- and 100-miles Sunday. All based at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral (www.tourdecape.net)
• Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Hands Across The Harbor half marathon, 5K run/walk, and bike rides of 13.1-, 20- or 30-miles. (www.handsacrosstheharbor.com) 
• Saturday-Sunday, March 10-11: 20th annual Royal Palm Challenge, 32- and 42-mile rides both days, starting from Fort Myers Brewing Co. (www.caloosariders.org)
• 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:

• Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 6-7: HITS Triathlon Naples. All distances… open, sprint, Olympic, half-Ironman and Ironman. Half and full Ironman Saturday, the rest Sunday. Vanderbilt Beach, Naples (www.hitstriathlonseries.com/naples-fl)
• Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.