Tour de Marco Turns 15

You can’t help but get excited for Sunday's Tour de Marco 15 when talking to this year’s young, positive, and energetic tour directors, Reilly Smith and Whitney Goodrich.   

"We're super excited about this year’s Tour de Marco for multiple reasons,” said Goodrich, the Y’s wellness director. “The family of Chuck Thomas, the person the tour memorializes, will actually be attending this year. So, we're super excited to honor them and recognize them in the tour.” 

“We're really excited to bring the community together,” said Smith, the Y’s healthy living director. “Just kind of promote those connections within the community with our sponsors and engaging our volunteers, members of the Y. I think it will be really fun. You've got the more avid riders on the 30-mile ride and the beginners or just people who like to ride for fun on the 15-mile ride. So I think we're excited for that." 

The biggest change this year is that both rides start 30 minutes earlier than in the past. The 30-mile ride starts at 7:30 AM (check-in: 7:00 AM),followed by an 8:00 AM start for the 15-miler (7:30 AM check-in). 

“We're keeping the course the same as last year,” Smith said. "So, if anyone participated in the Tour de Marco last year, it will be the exact same course. Maps are available on our website for view beforehand, and then we'll have them there at registration to review.” 

There’s still time to volunteer at this year’s tour. 

“We welcome anybody who wants to help out,” Goodrich said, "we would love all hands on deck. And we appreciate our volunteers in the community. That's what makes the race go forward.” 

Annually, the Key Club at Marco Island Academy provides a number of eager volunteers. The Civitan Club also volunteers every year. 

"Island Bike Shop is going to be in attendance,” Goodrich said. "They'll be there to help with helmets and tire repairs. If there are any kind of repairs that need to happen on the road, they'll be going through the tour to help. We really like them and they support us.” 

Island Bike Shop also supplies the t-shirts for the popular tour.  Joe Contarino of Re/Max is the tour’s presenting sponsor. Several other sponsorship levels are still available, ranging from $500-$5,000. 

Goodrich said participants enjoy the scenery on both the 15 and 30-mile rides. 

"The 30-mile ride actually goes through the Key Marco neighborhood,” Goodrich said, "which is a really beautiful area here on Marco Island. It's really awesome that they partner with us and allow our bikers to go through the community. The 15-mile ride does not, but it's still a really nice ride, and it goes through pretty parts of Marco.”