121 replies to this topic

[AK dog doc]

Glad you guys have been having fun with the race!

Dallas Seavey, who turned 25 while he was running the race, is indeed our youngest-ever I-rod winner, finsishing the race in 9 days, four hours, 29 minutes and 26 seconds. Aliy is our runner-up, in her best finish ever. She has twice placed 11th, but this is her first top-ten finish. It appears that the Quest/I-rod pattern is holding: Apart from Lance Mackey, everyone who runs the Quest and then takes their trail-toughened team to I-rod seems to achieve their career best in I-rod - but doesn't win it. It may be that you need, not just the Quest, but also the "perfect storm": A musher who is physically and mentally tough enough to run both races successfully, reasonable weather and trail conditions, the perfect leader(s), and an all-star team. Lance won his back-to-backs with the sublime Larry in lead. He's won with Maple in lead as well - but when he ran with Larry as his leader, he had a team jam-packed with deep talent. His current team is younger and less experienced. Larry is retired. It may be that in a year or two Lance will hone another team to the kind of fine edge he had when he won 8 thousand-milers in 6 years, a feat unequalled in dogsledding history. Maybe he won't. But it seems likely that as long as his body holds out, Lance will run dogs.

A client remarked to me this week that he's twice seen an athlete do something so remarkable: Lance Mackey was one, and Lance Armstrong was the other, coming back after cancer to win the Tour de France. My client was of the opinion that people who survive cancer treatments of that nature - surgery, raditation and/or chemo - develop a new kind of pain tolerance, something unknown to other humans who have not had to endure such trials in a fight for their very lives. There may be something to that. I do know that Lance actually finished Iditarod the year his cancer began. His throat was hurting him on the trail, and got worse as he got closer to Nome, but he didn't quit. He arrived in Nome spitting out blood and teeth, and when he got off the runners on Front Street he said "I need to go to a hospital." Off he went, to a diagnosis of cancer. He undertook a fight for his life then, and scratched the next year (when he tried to complete the race while still getting his nutrition via stomach tube). But he got stronger after that, and came back to hand in a series of the most amazing feats ever cobbled together by man and dog - feats, in fact, that everyone said could were impossible. But Lance's response to being told he can't comes down, more or less, to "Oh, yeah? Watch me."

So perhaps there will be another person, down the road, who will once again do what Lance proved was possible. Maybe Lance himself, being told that his day is past and he can't come back to win a 5th time, will once again make his detractors watch him do what they said he could not. Personally, I don't think Lance has anything to prove. He's done things that nobody believed possible, and done them repeatedly. He's made a mark that will never be erased.

Meanwhile, Dallas - who grew up in the world of dogs and sled dog racing much as Lance did - has many years ahead of him to stack up other wins, or at least try to, if he's so inclined. The race's only five-time winner, Rick Swenson, was formerly the youngest musher to win it. Perhaps the secret to that is to start when you're young and tough, and have years of young and tough ahead of you to stack up wins. But it remains to be seen if the four-time champs still running - King, Mackey and Buser - and/or the five-time champ, Swenson, also still running, can add on another win.

This year the average age of the top-ten finishers was 37.5 years, unusually young for Iditarod. This is a race that doesn't necessarily favor youth or gender. Men and women compete head-to-head, there are no age classes (though you must be over 18 to run), and male and female dogs compete in the same event. Old dogs may perform better than young ones, and bitches may prove more valuable than dogs; it's more about individual gifts than those conferred by youth or gender.

As of now, 14 mushers are in Nome, their races run: Dallas, followed an hour (less 15 seconds) later by Aily for second place. Ramey was 35 minutes behind her. Aaron wsa 4 hours back, and Peter Kaiser an hour behind him. Ray Reddington was 6th, followed by Mitch Seavey and Mike Williams, Jr. Defending champ John Baker ran 9th and Dee Dee Jonrowe rounds out the top ten. Sigrid Ekran is our 11th place finisher, followed by Ken Anderson. Brent Sass - one of this year's Quest stars - is our first rookie in, placing a respectable 13th. Sonny Lindner is also in Nome in 14th position.

Five mushers are waiting out their 8 in White Mountain, including Hugh Neff and both Busers. Lance Mackey has left Elim, along with 11 other mushers, including Ramey's brother Cym and Rick Swenson. One musher is rsting in Elim, and two are out of Kouk on their way there. Four mushers are resting in Koyuk, and ten are on their way out of Shaktoolik, including Siberian team Ramstead. Karen Ramstead is one of the most cheerful people I've ever seen on the trail, and her dogs are likewise.

Two mushers are resting in Shak, one in Una, and two in Kaltag.

Michael Suprenant scratched in Unalakleet, becoming the fifth musher claimed at that checkpoint by the race. Kirk Barnum scratched in Kaltag. Both made the decision in the best interests of their teams.

Our Red Lantern is Bob Chlupach in Kaltag with 14 dogs. The race isn't over 'til the Red Lantern crosses the finish line.

[Covelo Dogs]

On Iditarod trail committee's facebook page there is information on a musher Justin Savidis. He has been lost on the ice for a number of hours.
On Karen Ramstead's Facebook page is a link to an interesting video of the issues a musher may have with their dogs.
Suki

[Journey]

It may be that in a year or two Lance will hone another team to the kind of fine edge he had when he won 8 thousand-milers in 6 years, a feat unequalled in dogsledding history.

Yeah? And the Mayor x Maple I-Rod litter has how many miles under them already?!

[Oko]

Thank you so much for the commentary, I really felt caught up in the action reading this.

[Smalahundur]

Thanks for the great commentary. Though I know next to nothing about the dog sledding world I thoroughly enjoyed it, entertaining and educational!

[Covelo Dogs]

Karen Ramstead's gps got lost on the ice during the race. If you want to laugh check out
"Karen Ramstead's wayward Iditarod GPS "on Facebook it has it's own page.

[alligande]

Thank you for doing this, I have really enjoyed your commentary.

[AK dog doc]

Yeah? And the Mayor x Maple I-Rod litter has how many miles under them already?!

Journey, I guess I'm not sure of your point. I can't tell if you're asking because you think that'd be really cool, or you're challlenging the suggestion that Lance may have more races in him. Clarify?

Meanwhile, more updates...
Thirty-eight mushers are in Nome. Rohn and Martin Buser had a footrace coming under the burled arches, with Rohn edging his father by one second for 18th place. The Busers have trained ther dogs to come when called, so they were able to let the dogs out of harness for a romp around the chute, since no other teams were there. The dogs were happy and energetic - maybe a little TOO happy, since a few of them hiked a leg on some unsuspecting bystander. Vern Halter, an I-rod veteran, remarked fovorably on their speed and energy coming in to Nome.

Lance came in at 22nd. He forgot his mitts in White Mountain and so ran the 77 miles to Nome in fuzzy felt work gloves (the kind you buy ten to a bag, on which the fingers are wide and clumsy as clown gloves). He may have some frostbite by consequence.

Colleen Robertia came in just in front of Lance. Her dogs represent the three R's: Runts, rejects and rescues. Her leader is so small that the wheelers can't even see her. She makes her presence known by other means, and the wheelers trust her, so they go where she takes them.

Fifteen mushers are still running. Seven, including the Berington twins, are out of White Mountain. Two, including Karen Ramstead, are resting there. Three have left Elim, one is in Koyuk, and two are in Shaktoolik. Rookie Jan Steves is our Red Lantern. Race isn't over 'til the last one comes in.

[Sue R]

Colleen Robertia came in just in front of Lance. Her dogs represent the three R's: Runts, rejects and rescues. Her leader is so small that the wheelers can't even see her. She makes her presence known by other means, and the wheelers trust her, so they go where she takes them.

Love this! Makes me think of all the top handlers with great dogs and, when asked, said that their pick from the litter was simply whatever pup no one else chose first.

[Journey]

Journey, I guess I'm not sure of your point. I can't tell if you're asking because you think that'd be really cool, or you're challlenging the suggestion that Lance may have more races in him. Clarify?

That it would be very cool to see him and a two year old team of Mayor x Maple pups, conceived during the 12' I-Rod, running in the 2014 race!

[AK dog doc]

I personally would love to see Lance win another race. I hope he still has it in him, in part because I hate to think of all that courage sinking under the grim realities of a body so battered by cancer and radiation. Lance is a fighter, but eventually all of us succumb. But he's a relatively young man, and the miles he's traveeled in Iditarod are kind of a metaphor for the ones he's travelled as a human being... and vice versa.

[Dragon43]

This thread has rocked from the get go. Much thanks AK Dog Doc....

[JohnLloydJones]

Much thanks AK Dog Doc....

With the last two mushers out of White Mountain, the race is ebbing out, so I will add my thanks for making it more interesting with your comments.

[AK dog doc]

It's been fun for me too.

Iditarod XL is officially over. Jan Steves is our Red Lantern. She arrived in Nome in 14 days, 11 hours, 57 minutes and 3 seconds wiht nine dogs in harness an posting an average speed of 2.77 mph.

So it's taken 14.5 days, 1500 volunteers, 66 mushers, 1,056 dogs, 52 veterinarians, 24 checkpoints and 975 miles to wrap I-rod #40. Mushers raced for a cumulative purse of $550,000, with Dallas Seavey taking home top honors of $50,400 and a new truck valued at $40,000. Brent Sass is our rookie of the year. Dee Dee Jonrowe took home the humanitarian award.

The numbers breakdown, just for fun:
I-rod 40 starters: 66
I-rod 40 finishers: 53
mushers scratched: 12
mushers withdrawn: 1
mushers running I-rod 40 who also ran I-rod #1: 1
that musher's name: Dan Seavey
number of Seaveys running I-rod 40: 3
number of Seaveys in the top 10: 2
highest placement of a Seavey: First
number of women racing: 16
number of rookies racing: 13
highest placement of a woman: Second (Aliy Zirkle)
highes tplacement of a rookie: 13th (Brent Sass)
I-rods run: 40
number of years the Iditaroid trail has been used by humans: an estimated 100
number of vets to apply to work I-rod: over 70
number accepted: 52
number of checkpoints: 24
longest distance between checkpoints: 85 miles (Kaltag to Unalakleet)
Average speed of the winning team: 4.37 mph
Average speed of the Red Lantern team: 2.77 mph
Number of dog deaths: Zero

Glad you all enjoted the show! You'll have to ask Eileen about her adventures and see if she has pictures to post.

Thanks for watching!

[Covelo Dogs]

Thank you for taking the time to update.
It is very much appreciated .
Suki

[AK dog doc]

No problem! Now I'm going to go get a Guiness stout to toast stout-hearted little Guiness, the tough little bitch who led Dallas Seavey's team to victory.

[simba]

No problem! Now I'm going to go get a Guiness stout to toast stout-hearted little Guiness, the tough little bitch who led Dallas Seavey's team to victory.

I have a new favourite pun.

[amc]

Terrific interview with Dallas Seavey on Jian Ghomeshi's radio prgram Q today. What an articulate guy, and clearly possessing the utmost love and respect for the dogs. Q is produced by PRI (Public Radio International) and the CBC so a recording could probably be found at one of their websites.

[G. Festerling]

I caught it and it was very good indeed!

[WildFlower]

This has been most excellent! I look forward to reading about it again next year!