The Iditarod--The Last Great Race

     Freezing cold, blizzards, mountains, rivers, ice, miles of snow—racing in the Iditarod demands everything a man and his team of dogs can give, plus some! It’s not for the average outdoorsman, only the toughest, most determined mushers enter the race and only the best finish it.

     The Iditarod, named after the village in Alaska, is a sled dog race where teams of dogs are up against everything nature can throw at them. Starting in Anchorage and finishing in Nome, the Iditarod covers 1,100 miles of terrain, almost the distance from Chicago to Salt Lake City. Survival depends on the endurance and skill of the dogs and mushers.

    

     A man named Joe Redington Sr. was inspired to start a long-distance sled dog race in honor of the Serum Run, which refers to the life-saving actions of men and dogs that brought 20 lbs of Serum to Nome, during the Diptheria epidemic of 1925. They traveled through a blizzard and freezing temperatures, sacrificing their safety for that others’.

     The first running of the Iditarod was in 1973. With a purse of $50,000 it brought 34 dog teams to the starting line. Dick Wilmarth won the first Iditarod in just over 20 days. However that wasn’t the fastest the trail could be run. To the early racers, this was more of a Winter Wonderland, than a race course. Mushers stopped often and stayed long at checkpoints along the way. There they shared stories, ate hearty meals and relaxed by warm fires.

     However as the race began to grow in fame, so did the importance of getting to Nome first.

      After only a few years, businesses started to catch on. They could sponsor teams to run in the race and also gain advertisement status. In 1978 the 1,100 mile course was recognized as a “National Historic Trail.”  It was even televised nationally on ABC. Then the real upset occurred: a woman won the Iditarod. Libby Riddles was made champion in 1985. Thinking their manliness was under attack, the men had to start stepping up to the plate. This created a frenzy of who could make it the fastest. 1986 recorded an astounding win by another woman--Susan Butcher—who made the distance in 11 days!

     The test was on! Now it was all about speed. Before, checkpoints were when dogs and mushers rested and took it easy, now everything was fine-tuned to perfection! Sleds were being specially made for racing. Instead of wooden, 13 foot long sleds, now they were shorter, lighter and easier to maneuver. Teams didn’t have to drag along “2 of everything” anymore. Instead, the checkpoints now provided needed supplies like food, bedding and some equipment. It was a well organized operation of volunteers and race officials; all that the teams had to do was get to Nome.

    The 1990s began the era of new regulations. The maximum number of dogs per team went from 20 to 16, 2 mandatory rest stops were inserted, dog exams took place before, during and after races and if a dog died while in harness that meant an automatic disqualification. However mushers could “drop” sick dogs at any checkpoint and veterinarians would care for them until the owner could pick it up after the race.

   

 To the mushers, the hard-skinned dog owner/athletes, it’s not just a hobby to train for the Iditarod; it’s a way of life. Everything revolves around getting the fastest training times and building strong bonds between themselves and their dogs. If there is perfect trust it often means survival out on the trail. As Deedee Jonrowe said “I never feel more alive…then when I’m on the Iditarod trail.” To them, it’s essential.

     To the spectators, cheering for the winner of the Iditarod is like Wisconsinites cheering for the Super Bowl. It’s huge! They spend all year in anticipation, volunteer countless hours preparing the course and never stop supporting their favorite teams. Race marshal Bobby Lee put it this way “...it unified the people of Alaska about one subject that wasn’t world war, it combined the history of the state and the life off the road system….The race cast a spell over Alaska.”

    

 One way that the Iditarod has never changed is that after 40 years, it still serves as a way of preserving and honoring the past. The race remains lodged in Alaska and in the hearts of Alaskan people.