Its a dogs life!
Well its the life of a number of dogs in the far north of North America at least! What you ask, long distance sled racing of course!
I have no idea how I first got attracted to the Iditarod race across Alaska, so please dont ask. All I know is, its been a few (at least 4 or 5) years now, and I’m absolutely hooked on following it. I suppose the fact that I’ve always had a hankering for Alaska plays a part, but the thought of running a team of dogs, for over 1000 miles, in those temperatures, in that terrain, truly amazing. I suspect the fact it ends up in Nome plays a part for me, lol! But alright, the ghost town of Iditarod intrigues me just as much, even if they only go there every other year.
In recent years, there is one name that stands out in mentioning this race, Lance Mackey. You either have heard of him or not, but try checking him out on Wikipedia, to find out just how amazing. The thing is, unlike so many sportsmen, he seems a really nice guy. Competitive, yes, will to win, you bet, but when it comes to saying the right words, at the right time, he’s a consummate professional. There are many others as well, probably just as nice, but Lance is the one that seems to be focussed on, for obvious reasons.
Oh, and you think a thousand mile plus race, the field would be spread out at the finish? Well to some degree it is, but one year, not so long ago, the Iditarod was won by 8 seconds. 10 days out on the tracks, and the winning distance, 8 seconds. The Yukon Quest winning distance this year, nearly as long a race, 26 seconds!
Two weeks from now, this years race from Willow (Anchorage nowadays is only a token start point, due to housing build up in the area) will restart, and over 60 teams will head for Nome. Not all will make it, but the majority will. And before anyone says its cruel to the dogs, not one has died, or been badly injured in the last 2 years! Hopefully we get the hat trick this year.
But yes, I will only be following this over the internet, funnily enough.
No music tonight, just film of the end of this years Yukon Quest. If the Iditarod is also this close, now wouldnt that be something!
stevielounicks 
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