Spartans Stop The World For Google's Project Loon

BOSTON, April 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Several years in the making, Google's Project Loon finally took flight due in large part to the efforts of Joe De Sena and his community of fitness-crazed athletes. Dating back to 2008, the technology giant's desire to extend internet connectivity to every corner of the planet has been fraught with physical and technical limitations. Google's most promising solution, Project Loon, devised a coverage grid comprised of LTE- and WiFi-equipped high-altitude balloons launched into the sky. The low-cost polyethylene balloons offered developing regions the ability to access the Internet without the expensive installation of underground fiber optic cables.

To ensure the success of Project Loon, all balloons needed to reach an optimal altitude of 20km at the same time—a feat that could only be accomplished if the world were to do the impossible and stop its revolution for a fraction of a second. It was at this impasse that Google X Laboratories reached out to Joe De Sena, creator and founder of the world's most challenging obstacle race, the Spartan Race.

At the request of founder, Joe De Sena, millions of Spartans across the globe from NY to LA and Dubai to Singapore joined together on March 1, 2015.  Driven by their credo of never backing down from a challenge and overcoming all obstacles, the super-fit athletes simultaneously performed their signature exercise, a military-style push up called the Burpee—a mainstay of the Spartan training regimen.

The burpee-driven aftershocks allowed the Spartans to bring the world to a complete standstill for a fraction of a second to enable Google to execute the successful, simultaneous launch of thousands of Google balloons and ensure global internet connectivity. Commented Spartan Founder De Sena: "We could have stopped the world a little longer if Google needed it, but they only asked for a fraction of a second. We're glad we could help." 

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q4OVxwooI0&feature=youtu.be 
See press photos here:  http://we.tl/iKExAmHsY1

About Spartan Race, Inc.

Spartan Race—voted Outside magazine's Best Obstacle Race— is the world's leading obstacle racing company and the first of its kind to feature timing and global rankings. With more than 240 events in 25+ countries planned for 2015, Spartan Race has more than 1 million global participants, and offers open heats for all fitness levels as well as competitive elite heats.  With 4-plus million engaged social media followers, brand extensions including Spartan Group Training (SGX) and a popular NBC television series, Spartan Race has made obstacle racing one of the fastest growing sports—and lifestyles— in the world.   Spartan Race features races at three distances, 3+Mile/20+ Obstacle "Sprint," 8+ Mile/25+ Obstacle "Super" and 13+ Mile/30+ Obstacle "Beast," culminating each year in the Reebok Spartan World Championship.  Visit http://www.spartan.com for more information, a schedule of events, and to register for a race.

This April Fools' release is brought to you by Spartan Race, Inc.

SOURCE Spartan Race, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.spartan.com