Local Motion | Issue #12

Published: Tuesday, July 14, 2026 · 7:00 AM

👋 A Note from Jason

Twelve issues in — a full quarter of consistent Local Motion issues. Kind of like a training plan: I don't miss scheduled runs, and apparently I don't miss scheduled Tuesdays either. Tina says that's the real athletic achievement here, more than any of my race times.

Today's the last class of Summer Sizzle. If you've shown up every Tuesday since May, don't skip the finish line — go get it. And don't get too comfortable, because Half Marathon training picks up the baton next Tuesday, July 21. If a fall half is even a maybe for you, this is the on-ramp.

Also: Battle at the Fort is 11 days out. Cold plunges, saunas, a 1-mile run, yoga, meditation — and yes, a Fastest Pickleball Serve Challenge. Whatever kind of active you're into, it's probably on that schedule. Clear your Saturday morning.

Let's get into it. 👇

🤯 Wait — Did You See This?!?!

The Tour de France is happening right now, and if you've never looked closely at what these guys put themselves through for three weeks straight, buckle up.

It started July 4 in Barcelona and wraps up July 26 in Paris — 21 stages, 23 days, 2,071 miles, with more than 178,000 feet of climbing along the way. That's the equivalent of riding up Everest roughly six times. Tadej Pogačar's currently in the yellow jersey, with Jonas Vingegaard chasing him down in the mountains. One stage already got shortened this year because of extreme heat — which tells you something about what these guys are racing through.

Here's the stat that actually stopped me: riders burn anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000+ calories on a single mountain stage, and team nutritionists have them eating 6,000 to 8,000 calories a day just to keep up — two to three times what a normal adult needs. Do that, on a bike, in the mountains, for three straight weeks.

Suddenly our Saturday morning Pro Cycle ride feels a lot more reasonable.

🔥 This Week's Top Picks

🏓 PICKLEBALL

🏓 Ever notice how there's always a breeze when it's 40 degrees, but the second it hits 95 the air goes dead still? And then, once in a while, you catch that one rare 95-degree breeze mid-rally — and it feels like the best thing that's ever happened to you.

🔥 This Weekend

Another quiet weekend on the tournament calendar — nothing local within reach. Open play courts are still running all week if you need your fix.

📌 Open Play — Every Week

Mike Ford Tennis Center — Stimpson Park, Fairhope Lighted courts · Lessons, clinics & socials. Call for open play schedule: 251-990-9526

W.O. Lott Park — Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun 8:00–11:00 AM · Wed/Fri 6:00 PM · Daphne 12 outdoor courts · Free · All levels welcome.

Pickleball at OWA — Sun–Fri 10 AM–7 PM · Sat 8 AM–8 PM · 200 S OWA Blvd, Foley (worth the drive) 4 indoor climate-controlled courts · $10/hr guest pass · $55/mo membership · Walk-ins welcome. In Alabama. In June. You know what that means outside. Come inside.

Know of open play anywhere else on the Shore? Hit reply — we'll add it.

🏃 RUNNING

🏃 July in Alabama: the only season where "negative split" also describes what your motivation does somewhere around mile two.

🔥 This Weekend

Nothing on the local race calendar this weekend — a quiet stretch before the next training cycles kick in. Good week to just log easy miles.

📅 Today — Last Class

10 Week Speed "Summer Sizzle" — 5:30–6:30 PM · Running Wild, Fairhope Ten weeks of hills, tempo, and speed work wraps today. If you've shown up since May, finish this one out.

🗓️ Coming Up — July 21

Half Marathon Training Kickoff — Every Tuesday & Thursday · 5:30–6:30 PM · Running Wild, Pensacola, FL (worth the drive) 12-week program builds toward 13.1 miles, race day October 11. If a fall half is on your list, this is how you get there.

🗓️ Coming Up — July 27

Chappy James Bridge 5K Training Kickoff — Every Monday & Wednesday · 5:30–6:30 PM · Running Wild, Pensacola, FL (worth the drive) Race day is October 17, but the group starts building now.

📌 Weekly Runs

Three ways to run — pick your night.

Fairhope Beer Runners — Every Monday · 6:00 PM · Fairhope Brewing Company, Fairhope Just wrapped their first full year. The format is refreshingly simple: 5K and 1-mile routes are mapped, but go as far and as fast as you want. No tracked miles. No recorded times. Social matters as much as the miles — stick around after for a raffle around 7 PM, then stay as long as you like. Fleet Feet supports with small giveaways each week. Show up, run, be social.

Manci's Antique Club Run/Walk Social — Every Wednesday · 6:00 PM · Manci's Antique Club, Daphne Heading into their fourth year this October — which tells you everything you need to know about how good this group is. Same idea: 5K and 1-mile routes, but run your own race. No times, no pressure. The social after is the point. Fleet Feet keeps the giveaways coming, and the raffle at 7 PM is a legitimate reason to stick around.

Thursday Night Group Run — Every Thursday · 6:00 PM · McSharry's Irish Pub, 101 N Bancroft St, Fairhope Run at your own pace, stay for food and good company. The best post-run tradition on the Eastern Shore.

Know of a group run we missed? Hit reply — we'll add it.

🗓️ On the Radar — This Fall

Miles for Heroes 5K & 1-Mile Run/Walk — Sat. Sept. 26 · Olde Towne Daphne A certified 5K course through beautiful Olde Towne Daphne, benefiting IGY6: Gulf Coast — a nonprofit raising community awareness for suicide prevention and mental health for veterans and first responders, and funding additional crisis intervention training for local first responders. This one matters. Put it on the calendar.

10th Annual Bloody Mary 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run — Sat. Sept. 5 · 7:30 AM · Tacky Jacks, Gulf Shores (worth the drive) Race three of the Run the Coast Summer Series — and the championship race where series finisher medals are handed out. If you're doing the Shark Run on July 4th, this is the natural next step.

🚴 CYCLING

📌 Weekly Rides

Pro Cycle Saturday Morning Ride — Every Saturday · 7:30 AM · Pro Cycle & Tri, Fairhope ~28 miles · All paces welcome. Best shop ride on the Gulf Coast. Show up, clip in, and hang on.

Pro Cycle Tuesday Night Hammerfest — Every Tuesday · 6:00 PM · Pro Cycle & Tri (Spring/Summer) 25 miles · Rear light required · ~20+ mph. Come find out.

Pro Cycle Thursday Night Social Ride — Every Thursday · 6:00 PM · Pro Cycle & Tri (Spring/Summer) 20 miles · No-drop · ~17–18 mph. Katie "momma-ducks" this one — nobody gets left behind.

Three rides a week. Saturday if you want miles, Tuesday if you want a challenge, Thursday if you want both and also to feel like part of a group.

No formal cycling races on the Baldwin County calendar for the next two weeks. Know of a club ride or group event? Hit reply.

🏊 TRIATHLON & MULTI-SPORT

🗓️ On the Radar — This Fall

Brett Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon — Sat. Sept. 12 · Gulf Shores West Beach (worth the drive) Sprint and Olympic distances. Swim the Gulf, bike the coast, run the beach — with staging at The Hangout (101 Gulf Shores Pkwy). Olympic swim starts 7:00 AM; Sprint "Tri-It-On" swim starts 7:45 AM. Friday packet pickup 4–6 PM at The Hangout. Year 19 of this race. Registration open now.

⚡ HEALTH & WELLNESS EVENT

Battle at the Fort — Sat. July 25 · 7:00 AM–Noon · Town Center Park, Spanish Fort (3000 Town Center Ave)

11 days out. A health and wellness event and fitness challenge rolled into one morning — vendor village, cold plunges, saunas, a 1-mile run, yoga, meditation, F45/5A-style fitness challenges, and yes, a Fastest Pickleball Serve Challenge for our people. Complete "The Fort Pass" for a shot at prizes. Rain or shine, ages 16+ to participate.

That's Issue #12. 🎉

Summer Sizzle wraps today, and two new training cycles pick up the baton within two weeks — Half Marathon on the 21st, Chappy James Bridge on the 27th. Battle at the Fort is 11 days away — plenty of time to clear your Saturday morning.

If you know of a group ride, open swim, yoga in the park, or any local fitness event we've missed — hit reply. And if someone in your life needs this in their inbox — a neighbor, a training partner, your Monday night running buddy who just found out there's also a Wednesday run — send them to localmotionactive.com to subscribe.

See you on the courts and the roads. 🌅

— Jason (and Tina 🏓)

Local Motion — From the Bay to the Beach. localmotionactive.com