THE IDEA
Ignite BLOX began with a simple problem.
When Jodi Goldbeck's son, Tanner, joined a local youth track club, she noticed that young athletes had limited opportunities to practice with starting blocks. Traditional blocks were large, heavy, and not always available for everyday practices or individual training.
Jodi searched for a compact, portable alternative that Tanner could take to the track and use to practice his starts. She couldn't find one.
So she decided to make one.
THE FIRST PROTOTYPE
Jodi got to work. Within hours, she had created the first prototype using a piece of composite decking, rubber for the foot surface, and screws extending from the bottom to grip the track.
The wedge-shaped design naturally angled the screws into the track when an athlete pushed against it. It was simple and rough, but it worked—and it proved that a much smaller starting block could provide athletes with a solid platform for practicing their starts.
From there, the challenge became turning that first homemade prototype into something athletes could easily carry and use wherever they trained.
DESIGNED TO TRAVEL
The first prototype solved one problem but created another: the screws that gripped the track could also damage a training bag during transport.
Jodi began experimenting with ways to protect the spikes while keeping the BLOX compact and easy to carry. The solution was to design the two BLOX to nest together, with the spikes of each block safely enclosed inside the other.
That nesting design became one of Ignite BLOX's defining features—allowing athletes to pack their starting blocks in a training bag without exposed spikes.
FROM PROTOTYPE TO IGNITE BLOX
As the design evolved, Jodi continued solving the practical details. Magnets were added to hold the two BLOX securely together when nested while still allowing them to be easily pulled apart for use.
The original screws were eventually replaced with real, replaceable track spikes, giving athletes the ability to choose the spike size and style that works for their track surface.
Each improvement brought the original idea closer to what Ignite BLOX is today: a compact, lightweight pair of portable starting blocks designed to go wherever athletes train.
BUILT TO GO WHERE ATHLETES TRAIN
What started as a solution for one young athlete became Ignite BLOX—a patented portable starting block designed for athletes who want to practice their starts wherever they train.
Today, Ignite BLOX are used for track starts, youth track training, 3-point starts, and football speed training. The idea remains the same as it was from the beginning: make starting blocks easier to carry, easier to access, and easier to make part of everyday training.
Jodi Goldbeck
Founder, Ignite BLOX