More Than 600 Take Part in Fourth Annual Runway 5K and 10K at Naples Airport
Why It MattersThe race shows how a general aviation airport can close one runway under FAA and city approval, keep another open, and turn the airfield into a community and scholarship fundraising venue.
What happened
More than 600 participants gathered at Naples Airport (KAPF) on Nov. 7, 2026, for the fourth annual Naples Airport Runway 5K and 10K race. The course was lined with private jets, vintage aircraft and airport facilities.
Runway 14/32 was closed to aircraft during the competition, while Runway 05/23 remained active for scheduled departures. Naples Airport Authority officials said the race plans were approved by the FAA and permitted by the Naples City Council.
In the 5K, CJ Gustafson was the top overall male runner in 17:15, and Elise Mueller won the female division in 18:23. In the 10K, Marvin Meironat posted the top male time of 38:04, and Beth Marzigliano was the first female finisher in 39:56.
Naples Airport Authority executive director Chris Rozansky said the event has become a signature race in Southwest Florida in just four years, drawing sprinters, endurance athletes, weekend warriors and families. He described it as part race, part aviation exhibit. Proceeds will be divided between Gulf Coast Runners, for student-athlete scholarships, and the Naples Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), to fund scholarships for aspiring pilots, mechanics and engineers.
Industry impact & what to watch
Airports with more than one runway have a practical option that single-runway fields lack: one surface can be taken out of service for a ground event while the other keeps scheduled departures moving. At Naples, closing Runway 14/32 while Runway 05/23 stayed active is what allowed a race of this size to share the airfield with flight operations. The approvals came from two layers, the FAA for the airfield and the city council for the permit.
For general aviation airports, events of this kind serve a purpose beyond the day itself. Placing runners among private jets and vintage aircraft puts the airfield in front of residents who may never otherwise see it up close, and the scholarship proceeds link that visibility to the workforce pipeline of pilots, mechanics and engineers. The EAA chapter's share is aimed squarely at that pipeline.
The model is repeatable wherever an airport has runway redundancy and a willing local authority. Four editions in, the Naples race has already produced a recurring beneficiary split between a running club and an aviation-education group, and the next edition's approvals and runway plan would show whether the same arrangement carries forward.
