Meet some of Team EN members competing at Beach to Battleship 2014!

Leslie Knight (F 45-49)

I’m a US Air Force Family physician and my current job is commander of the medical group at Holloman AFB, NM . I started my athletic career as a runner because the Air Force made me, then aerobics classes, then took up swimming for cross training because my kids were on the swim team- if they could do it, so could I! Then I joined the base running club in Japan and did my first marathon and started biking with some of the running guys.

I fell in love with cycling in 2008 and realized I had the all three triathlon events. When the team decided to do a tri, I signed up. It was horrible ( I didn’t realize I was supposed to train!), but I knew it could could be better. So I trained for and did my own personal Olympic tri and then started doing more races once back in the US. I don’t actually like to race that much…the logistics and whatnot are a pain in the neck.

I really like to train. But to train I need goals. So I race. I’ve done several marathons. I love Century bike rides, and I’ve done several HIMs and a 100mile tri last Oct- that convinced me I could do an IM. This may be my only one…I got really lucky in this job in that I have time to train- I might not have that for the rest of my AF career. I’m not a natural athlete and the run is a lot of work for me. But I want my tattoo and I guess I better get my race in now! My first IM is B2B this year. Goal is to finish and get my tattoo! My husband hates exercise, but is a fantastic Sherpa and gives me plenty of time to do my thing. .

Ralph Moore (M 50-54)

I am a 51 year old father of two who started triathlon 2 years ago. I joined EN a year and a half ago and raced short course races last year. I drank the koolaid and ended up doing a 70.3 race this spring and Beach 2 Battleship will be my first full IM distance race.

I am an Orthopedic Sports Medicine specialist and have been moving to NC for a new job during the last 6 weeks of training and will be starting my new job on the Monday after the race. My goals in the is race are (in order) to finish, not to walk on the run (except aid stations), and anything under 13 hours is a huge win!

Mariah Bridges (F 30-34)

I am from North Carolina and love the city that the race is in, spent my summers in Wilmington as a kid and the atmosphere is amazing. This is my third year in triathlon and my first year in long course. B2B will be my second 70.3 and I’m looking forward to getting out there and proving I can do it again. I did not have a good first race as far as fitness went but I had the time of my life.

This time I am fighting some injuries but I feel confident in a significant PR. I have a time goal in my head but don’t want to jinx it! Endurance Nation has given me the tools, now I am going to go out there and use them like a boss!