BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, May 19, 2022
by Ken Gooderham
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| Image: public domain |
If you’re new to Southwest Florida as a full-time (or almost full-time) resident, and about to face your first summer here, welcome to your trial by fire… or at least humidity.
Summertime is payback time for all those warm winter days spent marveling at how cold it was up north. It’s the time of year when congratulating yourself for the wisdom you showed by moving south is replaced by the first glimmers of doubt as the thermometer heads perpetually north of 70 degrees for the next six months… or the first tropical storm system swaggers into the Gulf, trying to decide which coast it will collide with.
However, if you like to run, ride or walk, all is not lost. It’s just time to adapt.
First, adjust your expectations. Heat puts a strain on your body under the best of circumstances, so runners and cyclists can expect to struggle to maintain the speed and distance you easily achieved a few months ago. Cut yourself some slack and be proud that you’re out there willing to beat the heat at all.
Then, adjust your routines. If you’re used to exercising mid-morning, move it ahead a couple of hours to get outside before the temperatures get stifling. Conversely, take advantage of longer days by moving your exercise time to the evening (weather permitting).
Also look at your routes for access to shade, for a quick respite from the sweltering sunlight. And, since the other side of summertime is regularly scheduled rainstorms (which should be starting in earnest soon), also look for routes that might offer you shelter should the clouds open up.
Speaking of rain, make sure you watch the weather more closely as summer ramps up. A gentle summer shower can be a pleasant diversion, but you do not want to get caught in a full-blown thunderstorm, which can be dangerous on a number of levels from reduced visibility to slippery surfaces to (most of all) lightning.
The next adjustment should be in your attire… where you should be focused on light, bright and breathable. That’s light as in weight (avoid cottons) and color (avoid dark ones)… bright as in visible to make you easier to see… and breathable as in materials that will allow heat and moisture to dissipate rather than collect.
You want something on your head to keep the sun off (and keep the sweat collected) and, if you exercise regularly, have a couple of choices in outfits to get you through to the next laundry day. This can include things you might not otherwise change (such as socks and even shoes), so be flexible and make adjustments as you see how these changes (and your body) respond to the heat.
The biggest adjustments may be the most crucial: Hydration and sun management.
Hydration is critical to surviving and thriving in the summertime, the most important element of keeping your body cool and the quickest way to serious issues if you don’t plan for it. You should drink before you exercise (how much may depend on what you’re planning to do) and make sure you keep drinking during your ride or run. Water is a lot cheaper than a trip to the emergency room (or worse), so make sure you have plenty of it.
Same thing with sunscreen, especially if you can’t avoid the sunniest parts of the day. Getting into the habit of applying it regularly now will help prevent a host of skin issues later, and with the range of options available you can find a kind that offers sufficient protection and feels good doing it. Just remember to put sunscreen on first, so it has time to absorb and do its work, and reapply as necessary.
The final adjustment to summer may be to try something new. If running or walking on the street is too steamy, try doing it in a pool instead… or even try swimming as an alternative some days. If being outside is too onerous, move indoors for your walk, run or ride. (Yes, I know it can be boring… but if it keeps you moving, find something interesting to watch or listen to as a distraction.)
One of the joys of summertime here is fewer people and more options… so take advantage of it! Go run or walk on the beach, the ones that’s too crowded to even get near during season. Try kayaking or paddle boarding, when there are fewer people on the water and less wind and waves to manage. Reimagine your routine to make movement part of your daily life, if finding an hour to go out and recreate is too daunting.
With a little preparation and a lot of flexibility, it is possible to beat the heat of your first SW Florida summer. Good luck and stay cool.
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EVENTS
FORT MYERS TRACK CLUB (ftmyerstrackclub.com):
- Priority
Business Solutions Freedom 5K Run/Walk & Gunterberg Charitable
Foundation Kid's Fun Run, Monday, July 4, 7 a.m., Cape Coral Chamber of
Commerce.
GC RUNNERS (gcrunner.org):
- Park to Pier Swim, Sunday, May 29, 8 a.m., Lowdermilk Park, Naples.
- SNIP Collier, Monday, May 30, 7:30 a.m., Cambier Park, Naples.
- 2022 Firecracker 5K, Monday, July 4, 7 a.m., Lake Park, Naples.
ELITE EVENTS (runeliteevents.com):
- USA Independence Day 5K, Monday, July 4, 7 a.m., Hertz Arena, Estero.
The Caloosa Riders are offering member rides, but some are open to non-members (and it wouldn’t hurt you to join the club); check their ride calendar (caloosariders.org) for a description of the distance and speed, and to see if the ride is open to all.
SW Florida Critical Mass is offering their usual slate of family-friendly rides. Check out their line-up online (www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) for details and times (and to make sure the ride is still rolling).
- SW Florida Critical Mass ride, first Friday of the month. A family-friendly slow night ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Helmet and lights required, meet in the parking lot at 2180 West First Street, Fort Myers.
- Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, second Saturday of the month. Gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
- NE Lee Critical Mass ride, third Friday of the month. Gather in the Winn Dixie parking lot on Palm Beach Blvd. about five miles east of the Interstate; gather at 7 p.m. and roll at 7:30 p.m. for a slow ride through Fort Myers Shores.
- Cape Coral Critical Mass ride, fourth Friday of the month. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape; helmets and lights required.
- Saturday Morning
Slow Roll, fourth Saturday of the month. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd.,
Fort Myers. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6
miles, includes group ride instruction.
TRIATHLONS
- 2022 Game On Suncoast Olympic & Sprint Triathlon, Saturday, May 21, Fort Desoto Park, St. Petersburg (GameOnRaceEvents.com)
- Naples Fitness Challenge, reverse sprint triathlon, Sunday, June 5, Naples (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com/)
- Heartland Triathlon, sprint and Olympic tri, duathlon and aquabike, Sunday, June 5, Sebring (heartlandtri.com/).
- Fort Desoto Triathlon Series Race #1, Sunday, June 19, Olympic & sprint triathlon, Fort Desoto Park, St. Petersburg (fortdesototrilogy.com/). Also July 17, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18.
- Siesta Key Sirens & Merman Triathlon, Sunday, June 26, Siesta Key (run941.com/).
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.
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