This time of year, sometimes I look at the calendar and wonder how much sleep Sports Backers employees get.

The Tour of Richmond returns for the third year this weekend. Credit: Sports Backers

Back in late August, the group helped put on the growing Patrick Henry Half-Marathon in Ashland. Then last Friday and Saturday the Maymont X-Country Festival offered local runners a 5K on the Maymont grounds and an 8-miler on the trails of the James River Park System. This Saturday the 3rd annual Martin’s Tour of Richmond — bike rides of 101, 78, 59 and 29 miles around the Richmond region — rolls into Richmond International Raceway. Online registration is closed, but you can still do walk-up registration at RIR on Saturday morning at RIR if you want to participate.

At the close of online registration yesterday, a total of 1,150 riders were signed up, breaking the previous record of 1,105 riders in 2013. The event kicks off with the pre-ride party on October 3rd at the Richmond Raceway Complex from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with food and beer for sale, along with live music, vendors, and sponsors. Registered riders also will be able to pick up their participant packets for Saturday’s ride at the party.

But it’s not just a good weekend for bike riders. On Saturday morning, road runners have their pick of two local 5Ks: the 5K Eagle Challenge in Bon Air and the Mustangs 5K in Midlothian. And on Sunday trail runners will head out to Bear Creek Lake State Park 45 minutes west of Chesterfield County for the mostly flat but challenging Cumberland Multi-Use Trail Half-Marathon.

Bass fishing great Mike Iaconelli will meet the public at Green Top on Sunday afternoon.

With the weather starting to slowly turn to fall, area anglers are heading out to our many waterways to catch fish moving into their fall patterns. But for those who won’t be on the water on Sunday afternoon, here’s a great Plan B: Bass angling legend Mike Iaconelli will be at Green Top on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. signing autographs and chatting with the public. This is a really cool chance to pick the brain of a former Bassmaster Classic champion and B.A.S.S. angler of the year. Very cool stuff.