Lodi Flames’ Blake Fonda hits personal best in track and field, has sights set on more

Accomplishment: Blake Fonda helped the Lodi Flames varsity boys track and field team to the championship of the 15-team Port City Invitational on Saturday at Bear Creek High in Stockton.

Fonda won the 1,600-meter race with a personal-best 4 minutes, 25.79 seconds, and later won the 3,200-meter race at 9:52.22. He was also part of the winning 4×400 relay team with Michael Gonzalez, Ryan Ozminkowski and Elijah McDowell.

Fonda said that during a run, his mind is focused mostly on his times.

“I think a lot about the splits I should be running every lap in,” the senior said, “and just to not worry about being tired, I guess. I find you can do more than you give yourself credit for.”

Lodi coach Greg Wright has seen Fonda take a different role with the team this year, going from a runner to a leader.

“He sees his role as leading all the guys, where in the past, he led by example,” Wright said. “He’s a quiet guy, and the younger guys tease him and call him Dad, but he enjoys it. The distance guys call themselves the Goob Squad, as in goobers, and I don’t think that would be his choice, but he’s kind of their leader so he wears it.”

Fonda has approached the sport with a different focus this spring, with two goals in mind: breaking the Lodi High record in the 1,600 (4:18) and qualifying for the state tournament. To work toward those goals, he’s been working smarter rather than harder.