It’s 4am, your alarm is buzzing and two choices arise: hit snooze or rally. For Carbondale resident Dan Blake, the decision is clear. Four in the morning or not, it’s time to rise and go after your dreams.

“There is no separation between thought and action — you’ve got to execute,” said Blake. “There’s no way you get to where you want to go unless you have a comfort level to get through the hard part.”

At 66 years old, the former U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) captain still has plenty of goals, including the mission of a lifetime: a transcontinental cycling journey to raise critical funds and awareness for stroke survivors. On March 7, Blake will start biking from San Diego, and plans to cover 2,941 miles over 53 days, before finishing in St. Augustine, Florida. Supported by Boulder’s Timberline Adventures, a woman-owned company that guides cycling, hiking and multisport trips across the U.S. and Canada, Blake will endure grueling uphills, long stretches of road in Texas and endless hours in the saddle. Daily mileage will range from 36 to 90 miles, and Blake will only have eight recovery days.

“This whole time, while training and knowing what I was going to get into, I never really thought it was a big deal. But then I started talking to people, and they would ask me, ‘Are you crazy?’” Blake laughed. “But I know this is my happy place.”

No stranger to the thrill of endurance sports, Blake’s talent for long-distance running became apparent when he ran a USMC three-mile trial run in roughly 16 minutes and 30 seconds. Hooked, Blake went on to complete the Ironman distance, multiple marathons and, most recently, the Aquabike racing biathlon, a globally recognized event. Now, nearly 40 years later, Blake is ready for his cross-country ride.

“This is the next logical step for my dad,” said son Danny Blake, founder and owner of Dynamic Performance Systems (DPS) in Carbondale. “He does what he says and always follows through. Quite honestly, this is the next evolution of something he’s wanted to do and go for.”

Danny, who has a Master of Science in kinesiology, has been helping his dad train since he opened DPS in the summer of 2020. Coupling scientific research with practical application, Danny offers high-performance support to empower his athletes — including NFL players, USA gymnasts and elite mountain athletes — to go beyond their perceived expectations. For his dad, he created a multifaceted training regimen that included strength and cross training, a nutrition program and built-in recovery.

“Danny has been magical. I was overtrained for six years before he came into the picture,” said Blake. “He’s had me committed for the last 14 months, working out twice a day, four to five days a week.”

As the founder and CEO of Southtowns Financial Group in Orchard Park, New York, where he splits his time between Carbondale, Blake surely has a busy schedule. But that has never kept him from training.

“As far as the training goes, it’s easy. He’s somewhat of a ‘d-a-w-g, dawg’,” laughed Danny. “If you tell him to do something he will do it. He does have a full-time business, trains very full-time and [is] nearing the later years of his training career. Managing those unique aspects has been fun, but also impressive because he still never makes any excuses and rarely complains. It’s been the same messaging throughout my entire life.”

A philanthropic effort
Blake’s cross-country ride has been a bucket list item, but it was in 2022, when he met Stroke Onward’s cofounders Debra Meyerson and Steve Zuckerman, that the ride added a new layer. In 2010, Meyerson suffered from a severe stroke that resulted in paralysis on her right side and aphasia, a condition that affects speech and language processing. While she regained some capabilities, she was unable to return to her tenured teaching position at Stanford University. The loss was devastating.

Meyerson began to wonder if other stroke survivors experienced a similar loss of identity, and with the help of family and friends, she wrote “Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After Stroke.” The book led to the founding of Stroke Onward, a nonprofit that supports survivors through the emotional journey of recovery and rebuilding. In 2022, Meyerson and her husband, Zuckerman, cycled across America to raise awareness.

“To lose your full health in a matter of three days, I can’t even imagine the mental anguish,” said Blake. “I was like, ‘I gotta do something.’” On his ride he hopes to inspire others to pitch in and help.

“At an older age, I’m in the best shape of my life. You can’t replace 27-year-old testosterone with 67-year-old testosterone, but you can execute better,” Blake concluded. “You’ve got to cherish this thing more. Do good when you know you can. This is a special time and you’ve got to take advantage of life.” 

People can follow Blake’s journey at  @southtownsfinancialgroup on Instagram and visit www.gofundme.com/f/dansrideacrossamerica to pitch in for the cause benefiting Stroke Onward.