IDITAROD countdown!

I don't know about you, but I feel that this is the most amazing athletic endurance feat that there is. It challenges both the dogs and the mushers, and it's amazing to think that they travel over 1000 miles in appx. 12 days over such rugged terrain in awful conditions.

I follow it every year (you can subscribe to live Internet coverage for about $20.00 U.S.) and am looking forward to the official start which will be on Saturday, March 1st. This is a record year with over 100 mushers currently signed up...mushers from many countries including Canada, Norway, Germany, Belgium, and Italy.

These dogs are absolutely amazing and the most phenomenal athletes...they just want to run! If anyone would like to find out more about the Iditarod, here's the link to their website: http://www.iditarod.com/

 

Kasey, i'm with you there, i have been watching the reviews on tv about it getting started,,, we also have one here in the Artic, called the Finnmarksløpet, or the Finnmark Run. Thats alot of fun too, to keep up with. and if you like watching people who survive out in the wild like that, there is a man here his name is Lars Monsen, who he an his dog, take off and spend one yr traveling the artic. its awesome... he also did a yr in Canada traveling from one coast to the other. I know he has books out, an probably dvd's.

 

You are right, KL...VERY interesting and very challenging to animals as well as humans.
When I worked and lived in Alaska, it was the high point of the year there (for me, at least).
In the five years that I was there they had some extremely good races.
My partner and I went to the starts. That was pretty exciting, although limited.
Well, I hope you enjoy it this year. MUSH!

 

I think those people are mad, for starters, but I'm absolutely awed by them and their dogs! Just getting ready to start the race seems like a huge achievement. It always adds interest to have a fellow Norwegian in there.

Biita, I see that Lars Monsen is getting the same reputation here that Chuck Norris has in the US.

 

I agree with Droopy - they must be mad.
But they have beautiful animals - I think I am in love with those dogs. They are so beautiful and courageous.
I would love to have one of them, but I would probably subject them to torture since our temperatures here would be too high for them to be comfortable.

 

Theres also the races up in Finnmark with the reindeer, its during the festivals up there. In Alta. Its like the Iditarod, but instead of dogs, they use the reindeer.. very cool!!

Lars Monsen rocks!! He is so awesome an one of the best outdoors men i have ever watched or followed thru endevours. In norwegian way of thinking i guess i can say Amondsen was the only one better than him. but it would be very close.

 

Lance Mackey, who won the Iditarod last year, just recently won another race in Alaska. He did the same thing last year...ran two big races within 2 months of each other with the same team of dogs, which was a first. He also rode a long distance last year with just one ski, as the other one broke on the trail. Other mushers would have scratched at that point, but he kept going.

Lance is also a cancer survivor (throat cancer, I think) so it was great to see him win. I guess that he looked strong in this last race a few weeks ago, and many are assuming he'll go all the way in the Iditarod again this year.

I googled Lars to find out more about him, and yes he seems like an extreme athlete! I'm sure that the reindeer races are in preparation for Santa's long trip across the world, right?

 

That is impressive, it makes his achievements stand out all the more.

But of course! Only the best deer are picked out to breed more strong, swift, reliable deer.

 

I can't imagine any competition anywhere that takes the same amount of strength, desire, skill, and stamina, as the Iditarod. My cousin lived in Galina, Alaska, where he operated "Galina Air Service", a small air service for folks in the area. My parents visited him several times. On one of those trips they met Libby Riddles, a Madison Wisconsin native that moved to Alaska at age 16 to pursue an adventures new life style, and who, in 1985, became the first woman to win the Iditarod. She wrote a book entitled "Race Across Alaska" which recounts the blizzards, extreme cold, and exhaustion of the race. Dad purchased a copy and was able to get it signed by her. I was fortunate to get to read it, what an adventure, I now have that book on my book shelf. The book provides an insight into the almost unbelievable experience it is to participate in that event. My hat is off to all those that participate in that event. On a far smaller scale, currently, there are our annual Sled dog races here in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, this week end.
Tom

 

Awesome...I've read the book Race Across Alaska and really admire her. Susan Butcher was another woman musher who beat the odds to win the Iditarod. Lots of great role models out there...I wish I had their guts and stamina. Someday I'd love to bid in one of the auctions and get to ride the first leg of the race with one of the mushers. For this year, I'll have to be content to follow the race via my computer. The live coverage offered by the I site is great.

 

I wanted to bump up this post again, as today's the ceremonial start of this great race up in Alaska. I'll be glued to my computer at the offical start (which will on Sunday). If any of you are interested in subscribing to the live Iditarod coverage (only about $19.00), you can visit their website at: http://www.iditarod.com/

There are a lot of free links there also..it's so interesting to read up on the dogs, the mushers, the preparations, the communities. ENJOY, and best of luck to the mushers and dog teams...be safe!