The 2011 United States Adventure Racing National Champions just got stronger with the addition of Dan Snyder following his tryout with TeamSOG. 

"I was really excited when I found out. It's definitely a big accomplishment and I just couldn't pass it up," said Snyder, 27, from Bradford, Pennsylvania. 

"TeamSOG communicate really well and they race hard. They will still push themselves over the 18-hour mark of a race and I've never seen them get complacent." 

Snyder joined the team after shadowing them during the East Coast Adventure Racing Series Championship race this past September.  In fact, Snyder would have made first place in the 18-hour adventure race in the solo male division by a couple hours yet he decided he shouldn't be considered for the title because of his opportunity to follow a nationally ranked team. 

"I told the race director, Doug Cryzter, about my desire to join the team and he just said to keep up with them and get to know them," explained Snyder. 

"I felt I had an unfair advantage against the other solo male's racing." 

Cryzter complemented Snyder on his sportsmanship, his desire to win as an athlete, and his teamwork.

"I feel he made the right decision. He could have won it. It was a class act and a contributing factor to him being selected to the team," said Crytzer. 

Crytzer added that all of TeamSOG came to him after the race and said they wanted Snyder on the team. 

"The biggest thing they liked about him was his energy and his communication skills," explained Crytzer. 

"The kid is pretty damn fast and it was not an easy course to try out on." 

The speedy Snyder was introduced to the sport while interning at an engineering firm in Erie, Pennsylvania only a few years ago. 

"I was working for Beaumont technology at the time when a couple of my co-workers got into this grassroots series that is run by someone locally. Talking to them I felt it was something I wanted to do so I participated in a couple of 5 km races and my interest grew from there," reminisces Snyder. 

Since then, Snyder has competed in triathlons, adventure races, and even an Ironman in St. George, Utah. 

"You have to walk before you run," said Snyder. "After the 5km's I went on to 10km's and the 2 to 3 hour races. When I began racing 9 to 10 hours I struggled a bit and wasn't ready for it, but everyone does when they start out. In the middle of the race you will ‘hit the wall' at some point. But, I always look back and think ‘this was great.'" 

Snyder is technical sales engineer for a custom injection molding company for the medical device industry in Erie, Pennsylvania. During the offseason, he is currently training for another Ironman this July, which he says will help him be prepared for any other race. 

Racing in an Ironman and an adventure race for Snyder takes a different sort of mental preparation.  

"In adventure racing you're working as a team trying to find a checkpoint where as in the Ironman you're not communicating with anyone but yourself. The last 8 to 10 minutes of a race – it's all mettle at that point," he explains. 

"In adventure racing you're motivating your teammates but in the Ironman you are in your own world." 

Snyder joins a team stout with adventure racing all-stars such as Toby Angove, Brian Mayer, Kristin Eddy, Julia Pollock, Chris Caul, and Kristen Dieffenbach. During the 2011 season TeamSOG won first place at both the USARA National Championship and East Coast Adventure Racing Championship and added a second place at the Checkpoint Tracker National Championship. 

 

 

 

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