2014 Race Season

I'm excited for the 2014 race season to get kicked off!  Up here in New Jersey the season does not start as early as it does in San Antonio, so I don't have an opportunity to get some local races under my belt to build confidence before I kick off my actual season.  Ideally, I would run an early season duathlon in February to gauge offseason bike/run fitness, and race a 70.3 in March to try and put it all together.  I like starting the season off in April at IM New Orleans 70.3.  It's a great race, and I enjoy visiting family in the area, but I won't get to race NO this year because of logistics.  

All of that being said, my 2014 season will start on the beautiful east coast of Italy at Challenge Rimini!  I'll swim in the gorgeous Adriatic Sea, Ride a typical Euro bike course with plenty of climbing, and finish it off with a flat run along the coast.  I'm excited to bring the family along for a race vacation.  I've been working with my coach, Chris Draper to prepare this season as a building year.  I've run into some logistical problem in bringing my bike, so my plan is to rent a bike in Italy for the race.  Knowing my plan is not ideal, I'm excited to race Italy, and will use it as a learning experience for traveling overseas to race.

After my Italy adventure, I will race the NJ State Tri in July.  It's an Olympic distance event that will be extremely flat and fast.  I'm expecting great competition at this race and will use it to evaluate how my current fitness stacks up to a different breed.  I'm planning to make the Air Force tri team in the next couple of years, so this race will be the first test to see where I'm at.  I've seen the course, and am very excited for the race in July.

I'll finish my multisport season in September with IM 70.3 Princeton.  The course will be very similar to the NJ State course, even riding much of the same route.  This will be THE race of my season!  A year of specialized training culminating with Princeton will give me the perfect gauge of where I'm at physically.  After this race I'll have a better feel of how to proceed into 2015.  I have big goals for 2016, and the finally for my 2014 season will mean a lot in future preparation.

I'll be running the Marine Corps Marathon this year in October to finish off my entire season.  My uncle and cousin will be running with me, and I plan to use this race as more of a fun run to enjoy the company and sights of DC.  Overall, I'm excited for the season to get kicked off, and will post race reports promptly after each event.  Stay tuned to see how it all pans out.  Remember my name, so when you see it on the pro start list for Kona in 2019 you'll know who to root for!  Until next time..."Winners make goals, losers make excuses" (-Unknown)

-Blake

Mil fit test

Could have ran sub nine if it weren't for the snow flurries in my ears, but I am happy with acing the test! 

HITS Hunter Mountain 70.3

Pre-race dip in the cold lake.

Nice jog from the lake to transition 

It was a gorgeous ride through the hills of New York

And a nice jog through the park and around the lake

 My little girl came running up to me just before the finish line,

and I carried her over the finish line. She was really excited! 

Placed 7th overall, 1st in AG, with a time of 5:08

*all photography credit goes to my wife

Small Texan Race

 I raced the Small Texan at Boerne City Lake, which is an just over an olympic distance. 

My wife did the Tiny Texan, which is a sprint.  

 This was her first triathlon ever, and we have two babies who are under the age of 2.

I placed 2nd in AG, 13th overall

And my wife... well I am proud of her for finishing!

*I had to go with iphone pix since my PR Manager & 

personal photographer was busy racing at the same time! 

IRONMAN NOLA, 70.3

 Walking of to the swim start - my wife had a little fun editing the pix from this race

 Fresh out of the water, Lake Pontchartrain Marina

 Off on the bike. This race wasn't as spectator friendly as most, but it did offer a great after party!

 Not the speed I was wanting for this race,

 but it is pretty nice to get an immediate printout

*photography credit to my wife

Calaveras Duathlon

It was a cold & rainy morning, so my support crew stayed in the car until the last run lap.

I got some good luck snuggles before the start.

  Placed 4th in AG, and 11th overall

Natural Bridge Caverns -Sprint Duathlon

 I placed 1st in AG, 4th overall

First time I placed first in a race, I was pretty stoked. 

However, today wasn't about me. See that big bump under my wife's shirt? 

A few hours after we got home from this race we went to the hospital, and our son was born!