Nine Straight Series Wins for the Canadian Champ as BattleFrog Returns to Mines and Meadows For "Bucket List" Endurance Event
PRLog - Aug. 11, 2015 - Nothing, not even two Platinum Rigs, a trek through a mineshaft or even a swim through an underground lake could stop Ryan Atkins at BattleFrog Pittsburgh. The seemingly invincible Canadian did it again Saturday, notching his 9th straight BattleFrog title at the Series’ Mines and Meadows race. The win marked Atkins’ 16th OCR victory of the year while OCR star Lindsay Webster fought to her 5th BattleFrog Female Elite win of the year. Ms. Webster has racked up 9 OCR victories, plus two other endurance race titles in her first year of competitive racing. Ms. Webster edged out Canadian National biathlete Claude Godbout and BattleFrog Lifestyle Director and OCR star Corinna Coffin.
“It was a close race all the way around,” said Ms. Coffin, “the second Platinum Rig was a lead destroyer. We started early, so it was still slippery from the dew. After losing my grip on the first try, there was a little moment of panic. I didn’t think I’d lose my elite wristband (and receive a DNF), but for a moment I thought it might take an hour to figure out!”
“It was real close,” agreed champion Webster. “Corinna, Claude and I traded leads all race and then got grouped up on the Platinum rig. It was anybody’s match. Corinna made it through first, which gave Claude and I the confidence we needed to make it through right after her. We battled out the remainder of the first lap together and I was able to take the lead right around the start of our second leg. It was a really fun course and an amazing group of athletes. I can’t wait to come back to Pittsburgh for BattleFrog’s race here next fall.”
Notwithstanding the elite race drama, there was one obstacle that everyone agreed stole the show: the underground mines giving BattleFrog’s Mines and Meadows course its name. Racers were treated to lighted headlamps and flotation noodles for their trek underground, which included a once-in-a-lifetime passage through an underground lake.
“Running through the mines was one of the most amazing experiences I have had in the 70+ OCR events I have run,” said veteran OCR racer Kenneth “Hulk” Terrell, who completed an astonishing four laps of the course. “On my fourth lap it was just me in the mine. The only sounds were my breathing, my feet and the water dripping in the distance. It was serene and beautiful and so much fun. Realizing that I was running THROUGH the earth with hundreds of thousands of tons of rock above my head was a moment I will never forget!”
One of the most talked about performances of the day came from fourteen-year-old wunderkind Nathen Snyder, who also completed four incredible laps in the BattleFrog Extreme Race (BFX) and, amazingly, appeared ready for more when the BFX clock expired. “The course had a lot of fun and challenging obstacles. Late in the day the course was covered in mud. I struggled with the Wreck Bag Carry because they weighed more than half my body weight, but I managed to get it done with the support of my fellow BFX racers. I enjoyed every minute,” said Snyder, who took home a coveted BFX Paddle in what looks to be a promising athletic future. Mr. Snyder aspires to be an OCR Olympic athlete, amongst other big ambitions. “I want to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and become a Navy SEAL. I hope my OCR training will help me.”
BattleFrog Mines and Meadows course has gained notoriety throughout the OCR industry as one of the most unique and fun courses in the sport. “It was a pleasure to return to Mines and Meadows for our Pittsburgh race,” said BattleFrog CEO Ramiro Ortiz. “Pittsburgh is a beautiful city that has it all: culture, fantastic weather, wonderful landscapes and for our race: this incredibly unique opportunity to run and swim your way through an actual mine. I heard from so many racers and their families just how special and enjoyable this was. Surprise, challenge and fun are elements we strive for to make every race memorable.”
According to Course Designer Christopher “Beard” Acord, standout obstacles at the Pittsburgh Course included the aforementioned Wreck Bag Carry, Platinum Rigs and underground mine as well as “Mt. BattleFrog” a steep, Pennsylvania hillside requiring confidence and teamwork as the day went by and turf was worn into mud. Another hit: the Puroast Coffee “Mounds of Grounds” mud and dune crawl covered in Puroast Coffee grinds. “All day I heard people talking about the terrific coffee aroma, and how ingenius that obstacle is,” said a glowing Acord. “We got a lot of compliments on this course. It is really wonderful and humbling to hear people say it was the best race they’ve ever run.”
BattleFrog has announced it will return to Pittsburgh in September, 2016. Early bird registrants can save 40% and scoop up their preferred heat times now with Code: RUN IN MINES at http://www.battlefrogseries.com/pittsburgh-2016/
The Top Finishers in the BattleFrog Pittsburgh Race were:
Elite Male
Ryan Atkins - 1:47:24
Marc-Andre Bedard - 1:48:41
Joshua Zwonitzer - 1:49:20
Elite Female
Lindsay Webster - 2:37:28
Claude Godbout - 2:38:41
Corinna Coffin - 2:39:46
Masters Male
Joel Fox - 2:23:07
Jeffrey Bent - 2:29:14
Glenn Nakamura - 2:29:47
Masters Female
Elvy Lapointe - 4:07:31
Maria Tornudd - 7:09:30
Tara Cioppa – 7:38:59
BattleFrog BFX – Male
Josh Cable (Tie – 5 Laps)
Cody King (Tie – 5 Laps)
BattleFrog BFX – Female
Christine O'neal (4 Laps)
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The BattleFrog Obstacle Course Race Series is one of the nation’s fastest growing outdoor fitness events. BattleFrog is heralded as one of the top OCR companies by industry publications and is widely considered the most challenging Elite Points Series events in OCR. At each event BattleFrog offers participants its namesake 8KM course, the “BattleFrog Extreme” challenging racers to achieve the longest overall distance, the “BullFrog Mile” and the 400-meter “Tadpole Dash” for families with young children. For more information about BattleFrog, visit www.BattleFrogSeries.com or follow BattleFrog on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/BattleFrogSeries).
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Ryan Atkins Is Invincible at BattleFrog Pittsburgh
August 11, 2015 at 13:10 PM EDT
