May 16: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling events

Upcoming events

Here's your weekly update of upcoming running, cycling and triathlon events with this Wednesday the solemn Ride of Silence, commemorating those who lost their lives or were injured while cycling, on Friday the NE Lee Critical Mass ride, and on Saturday the Suncoast Olympic & Sprint Triathlon in St. Pete.

RUNNING

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.
  

 CYCLING

• Wednesday, May 18: Annual Ride of Silence, to honor those cyclists who have been killed or injured on our roadways. Details at caloosariders.org.
  

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/).

For the very latest, go to Fort Myers Track Club (ftmyerstrackclub.com), Gulf Coast Runners (gcrunner.org), Caloosa Riders (caloosariders.org), and South West Florida Critical Mass (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)