Athletes dive into competition at Columbia Muddy Buddy

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Athletes dive into competition at Columbia Muddy Buddy

More than 500 teams of two will tackle massive obstacles along a 6-mile run and bike course that ends with a 50-foot-long mud pit before crossing the finish line. Most teams finish the six mile course from 45 minutes to an hour.

Competitors climb the last obstacle before they face the famous 50-foot-long mud pit at the finish of Columbia Muddy Buddy at the Georgia International Horse Park Saturday morning in Conyers, Ga., June 11, 2011.

Teammates go after one another with some spontaneous mud wrestling in the mud pit.

Runners' legs are covered with mud and tennis shoes are ruined after competing in the Columbia Muddy Buddy at the Georgia International Horse Park. More than 500 teams of two tackled massive obstacles along a 6-mile run and bike course that ended with a 50-foot-long mud pit before crossing the finish line.

A team member celebrates as his buddy finishes the mud crawl at the finish line. Most teams finish the course in 45 minutes to an hour.

Brian Wade, of St. Marys, Ga., climbs out of the mud pit after competing in the mud run portion of the race. Wade had competed in a Muddy Buddy before but said this one was challenging because the terrain made the difference. Because St. Marys is flat all of the hills at this course made it impossible for him to train.

Mud flies in the air as a competitor performs a roll under the lines of flags in the 50-foot-long mud pit.

Ron Langdon, of St. Augustine, Fla., of team "Soup Sandwich," fixes his hair after crawling through the mud pit at the finish line.

Team "Soiled Rotten," Megan Tallman, center, and Christy Bockmier, back right, pass a competitor as they climb out of the mud pit. Tallman and Bockmier are from Kennesaw. As more than 1,000 athletes came through this mud pit it made the mud thick for runners such as "Soiled Rotten."

Wearing matching red mohawks, team "Mohawk Hunters," Ben Overfield, left, and Bobbie Liu, of Atlanta, stretch before the start of the Columbia Muddy Buddy. Liu and Overfield have been engaged for four months and took time today for a little fun at the Muddy Buddy. This is their second year competing in this event. One partner runs while the other bikes. Liu biked first so Overfield ran first.

Ron Langdon, center, of St. Augustine, Fla., of team "Soup Sandwich," takes off on his bike during a wave of bikers at the start of the race.

Rodrigo Agia, of Dunwoody, makes a perfect catch as he dives in the mud for a snack thrown by the announcer at the mud pit.

After making a catch and dive for a snack thrown by the announcer, Rodrigo Agia, of Dunwoody, is covered in mud as his wife Marcela Rabello celebrates their finish of the Columbia Muddy Buddy.

Courtney Downs, right, laughs after taking down teammate Sarah Buckley, both of Atlanta, after mud wrestling in the pit . Most of the time, the event is designed to build teamwork as competitors team up with a buddy to share the biking and running duties. When asked who won the mud wrestling Buckley says, "I so won." The women's team name was fittingly enough, "Evil Twins."

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Competitors climb the last obstacle before they face the famous 50-foot-long mud pit at the finish of Columbia Muddy Buddy at the Georgia International Horse Park Saturday morning in Conyers, Ga., June 11, 2011.

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