From: Rodney D. Whaley

Today is July 6th, two days after the 4th of July celebration. This morning I got up at 0500 (5 a.m.) and proceeded to the gym to get some exercise. I got there at 0530 and decided I would exercise on the elliptical machine. The room has several elliptical and stationary bicycles. We are also provided with television to watch to help the time go by faster. This morning, the TV was on FOX News. At 0600, Mike Huckabee came on. I think it is called Huckabee and Friends. He stated, as the show came on, that the program would be a tribute to our country with some interviews and some musical entertainment. Now, keep in mind that what we are watching at 0600(6 a.m.) is being broadcast on the east coast at 11:00 p.m., Sunday night, 5 July, and in Nashville at 10:00 p.m. Sunday night. It also appeared to be a re-run from the night before, so it initially ran on the night of the 4th of July in the states. I think.

So here we are, a bunch of soldiers, mostly older soldiers, working out on these exercise machines, watching Mike Huckabee and his patriotic show. He first interviewed an author, and then had Lee Greenwood and his band sing and play. Of course in Lee Greenwood tradition, the song was, God Bless the USA. As the song began, we just continued exercising. Beside me was this rather large, jolly man with a strong Spanish accent. He appeared to be Puerto Rican. When we got to the chorus, this man started singing to the top of his lungs, “I’m proud to be an American” with this strong Spanish accent. Then he stopped his machine and stood beside it at attention and continued to sing. Suddenly, others stopped exercising and joined in. I did too. Then this big Hispanic soldier puts his arms around my shoulders in a “man’s hug.” I sang louder. So did everybody else. All of the machines had ceased by this time and we all joined together, arms on one another’s shoulders singing, “I’ll proudly stand up, next to you, and defend her still today.” These are soldiers who truly were “defending her today, this very day” on foreign soil in a combat zone. The big guy beside me had tears streaming down his face. So did others. So did I. Maybe not big elephant tears, but my eyes were beyond moist. This room had a big glass front to it. Across the hall, with a glass front was the weight lifting room. By the time we hit the last chorus, the folks over there had stopped their weight lifting and were watching this little band of old soldiers, arms around one another’s shoulders, with tears in their eyes singing, “God bless the USA!”

When the song was over, we looked at one another like, “What just happened here!” We got back on our machines, continued our exercise session, and FOX News went to a commercial. It is a moment I’ll never forget.

It’s an honor and a privilege to serve my country,

Rodney

Rodney D. Whaley

The Iditarod Trail Committee salutes Rodney and all those who are and have served in harm’s way so that we can enjoy the freedoms they are charged to protect.

Thank you for your service.

See the full list of winners, prizes and prize donors.

Thanks to all of the 2,000 ticket purchasers for taking part in “The Last Great Race on Earth”!

2008 Winter Raffle Tickets on sale October 1st, 2007

The Seppala Heritage Grant is specifically designed to help fund the efforts of mushers who aspire to run the “Last Great Race to Nome” for the first time. Applicants have to demonstrate a commitment to work with, train and race sled dogs, and show value traits of generosity of spirit, courage, integrity and love for the dogs, land and people of Alaska.

Owens has already signed up to run the 2008 Iditarod trail Sled Dog Race. She will turn 18 just twelve days before the start of the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. She is the daughter of Mike and Pat Owens. Mike Owens is an official finisher of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and a member of the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors.

The Seppala Heritage Grant was founded by the Seppala Family with a $10,000 donation and a four-year commitment of $10,000 per year per recipient. It is the hope of the Seppala Family and the selection committee that other persons or organizations will donate to this charitable grant with money or services, thereby increasing the outreach potential of this grant. Grant funds are administrated by Iditarod National Historic Trail, Inc., a private, nonprofit organization with 501, C-3 federal tax status.

• The General membership meeting will be conducted at 10 am at Race Headquarters.
• The 2008 Board of Directors will be announced at the conclusion of the general membership meeting.
• The Volunteer Picnic is scheduled to begin at 12 noon on the campus of the Iditarod Trail Headquarters.
• The 2008 field of mushers will begin signing up beginning at 1pm.

At this time ten mushers have mailed in their 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race applications. For more information about the picnic and musher sign ups, please contact Chas St.George at 907.232.0503.

Other nominees in the Best Outdoor Athlete of the Year category are Bass angler Mike Iaconelli, mountaineers Samantha Larson and Ian McKeever, along with runner Dean Karnezes.

The winners of the ESPY Awards will be aired live on ESPN July 15, 2007.

“Iditarod 2006: Mother Nature’s Turn to Dance,” was the Iditarod Trail Committee’s first attempt at producing its own documentary, and was nominated for an Emmy Award by the Regional Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences on April 13 2007.

The 95-minute documentary was the compilation of more than 130 hours of video shot during the 2006 Iditarod. The production team embedded within the infrastructure of the Iditarod Air Force, and got an up close and personal account on the race from start to finish. The documentary won the award in the category of program achievement in the best news special category.

Writer, editor and producer, Greg Heister was the driving force in developing the documentary. Others named as contributors to the National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences award were Chas St.George, Iditarod’s Public Relations Director, and Terry Burge, a long time producer of Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race since the early 1980’s.”

Accepting the award on behalf of the Iditarod Trail Committee was the ITC’s Vice President Leelan Larson.

The ITC’s latest documentary “Iditarod 2007, As Tough as They Come,” premiered in Wasilla Alaska “Home of the Iditarod” for the first time on Friday June 1st at the Machetanz Theater to a full house. The proceeds from the screening went to help fund the Matanuska Susitna Borough’s new animal shelter’s Adoption Center.

“As Tough As They Come” will air for the first time before a Mat-Su audience this Friday at the Machetanz Theatre at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm.

The documentary follows the magical victory of musher Lance Mackey in the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Mackey not only won a battle with cancer, but also became the first-ever to win the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod in the same year.

The $10 ticket price will help furnish the Animal Adoption Center, what will become the heart of the newly restored shelter, where residents will get to know a potential life-long pet in attractive surroundings.

The animal shelter project is in the Borough’s proposed 2008 budget. The budget is expected to be adopted Wed. night. A certificate of participation, similar to a revenue bond, will pay for the construction. If approved, user fees will pay for a third of the project, and the non-areawide mill levy will fund the other two thirds. Residents of an average home would pay $15.60 the first year only, and progressively less each year. Mat-Su Mayor Curt Menard is a strong supporter of the project.

The existing shelter is 22-years-old and hasn’t kept pace with the Borough’s growing animal population. The shelter occasionally gets inundated with dozens of pets rescued from a single home. Recently 21 starving dogs were removed from an owner.

Lance Mackey will attend the Mat-Su premier Friday night as well as four-time champion musher Martin Buser. Both mushers support upgrading the dilapidated animal shelter and will talk about how critical a healthy shelter is to a mushing community such as the Mat-Su. Lance’s autographed bib #1 will be auctioned off both days.

Tickets for the premier are available in the Mat-Su at the following locations;

• Valley Performing Arts
• Cottonwood Public Safety Building
• Mat-Su Animal Care Shelter
• Mat-Su Borough Building, Palmer
• Wasilla Chamber of Commerce

The Machetanz Theatre is located in Wasilla Alaska at 251 W. Swanson Ave. Call (907) 373-8800 for more information.

WASILLA, ALASKA – Lance Mackey… The 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion will make a special appearance tomorrow (Tuesday) May 22nd at the Iditarod Gift Shop in the 5th Avenue Mall, Anchorage Alaska.

Lance will be on hand between 2:30 and 4:30 pm to greet Iditarod fans and to talk about the significance of the number13. He will also be available to sign autographs.

The Iditarod Gift Shop is located on the first floor of the 5th Avenue Mall in Downtown Anchorage. Bring along your favorite Iditarod memorabilia and have it autographed by the 2007 Iditarod Sled Dog Race Champion Lance Mackey.

Today is a difficult day for all of us. But what it does do is provide us with some closure after 2 difficult months. It’s been a difficult time for the people of Golovin, the Iditarod Trail Committee, Ramy Brooks and his family.

The Board would like to recognize the Race Marshal and Judges swift and decisive action during the actual race in regard to disqualifying Ramy for the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race after he admitted to striking his team with trail marking lathe.

We would also like to take this time to thank the witnesses in the community of Golovin are thanked for their courage to come forward, their concern, and their contact with us. We would also like to recognize that Ramy Brooks has been cooperative throughout this entire investigation process.

It is important that all sponsors, fans and volunteers know that dog abuse will not be tolerated in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It is always disappointing and regrettable that any action on or off the trail might result in any discomfort or pain to any dog. We must, and we will continue to strive to ensure the safety and well being of every Iditarod canine athlete.

The independent Investigation requested by the Iditarod Trail Committee revealed the following facts:

There is testimony that Ramy Brooks struck his dogs with his fists and his feet. Those allegations continue to be disputed by Mr. Brooks.

There is no credible evidence that Ramy Brooks ever struck any dog with a chain as was initially alleged.

There is no question that an incident occurred at Golovin in which Ramy Brooks struck his dogs with trail marking lathe. That action warranted both disqualification and additional censure.

Taking all the evidence into consideration the Iditarod Trail Committee has reached the following decision. Ramy Brooks, for his actions on the trail during the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will be censured as follows:

a) Ramy Brooks has been suspended from running the Iditarod for a period of 2 years.
b) The suspension is followed by 3 years of probation.

The next Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors Meeting will be held on June 1st, at the Millennium Hotel in Anchorage Alaska. It is scheduled to begin at 9am. The public is welcome to attend.

The Board of Directors is expected to hear the findings of an independent investigation conducted by the Anchorage law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine related to allegations that Ramy Brooks abused members of his team in Golovin on March 15, 2007.

The Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors is expected to issue a statement after the meeting is adjourned.

Eighty Two teams left the comforts of civilization on March 4th, 2007 from Willow Lake Alaska with their eyes set squarely on Front Street in Nome. What lay between the start and the finish was a virtual nightmare for some… but for all it was a race that tested their metal on a trail that definitely was “as tough as they come.” For one team, the finish line in Nome was life changing. Lucky number 13 will forever be the brand associated with Lance Mackey’s 2007 victory. His team’s unbelievable win shattered myths and raised the bar at a level that will definitely stand out as one of the most historic years in Sled Dog Race history.

The First Leg…

The first hundred fifty four miles from Willow to Rainy Pass provided the very toughest of trail conditions. Teams cruised through Yentna and Skwentna checkpoints and then began the climb into the heart of the Alaska Range (North America’s largest mountain range) more than 3000 feet higher than where they started. Along the way the lack of snow between Finger Lake and Rainey Pass caused fourteen teams to scratch. Glare ice on top of frozen ground combined with a number of other “natural obstacles” to create situations that led to a number of serious injuries for some mushers like four time Iditarod Champion Doug Swingley, and perennial favorite Dee Dee Jonrowe. Others like Melanie Gould couldn’t go forward because the trail tore their sleds to shreds.

The Storms…

Between Rainey Pass and Nikolai those who survived the first leg of the race were greeted by ground storms that swirled ice and snow around both canine and human at wind speeds up to 60 miles per hour. Two Iditarod mushers lost their way along the trail and were fortunate enough to make it to safety in Rohn. GB Jones and rookie musher Deborah Molburg Bicknell found themselves forging their way through an area aptly named “Hells Gate”. Both mushers decided to scratch in Rohn after their exhausting journey.

The Battle For Number 1…

From Rohn to McGrath the race began to look like an all out battle between two teams who were very familiar with being out in front. Big Lake’s (four time Iditarod Champion) Martin Buser and Denali’s (four time Iditarod Champion) Jeff King were, in mushing terms neck and neck with each other. Buser was the first to arrive in McGrath winning the Penn Air Spirit of Alaska Award minutes in front of King.

The Wind of Change…A Battle Over Tussocks

Between McGrath and Iditarod the front runners found a new challenge. The trail, once again windblown, uncovered tussocks. (a generic term for mounds of grasses and mud that can range from a few inches to several feet high) These frozen tussocks created an opportunity for Fairbanks musher Lance Mackey’s team to gain momentum. Conversely it slowed down the fast pace that Martin Buser was trying to maintain in order to create some separation between his team and the rest of the field. Mackey was the first to arrive in the ghost town of Iditarod winning the GCI Dorothy Page Half Way Award and $3,000 in gold nuggets. It was the first time in the race that there seemed to be a momentum shift at the front of the pack.

Iditarod Checkpoint became the 24 hour resting place for Mackey and others while Buser and King (who had already rested 24 hours in Ophir) continued past them to Anvik. Buser was the first to make it to the village on the banks of the Yukon River, and was greeted with a seven course meal complements of the Millennium Alaska Hotel for being the first musher to arrive, along with $ 3,500. King was right on Buser’s heels only an hour and a half behind him.

The Race to the Gold Coast…

Jeff King was the first to arrive to the Gold Coast Community of Unalakleet. He made his way to the checkpoint at 3:35 in the afternoon claiming the Wells Fargo Gold Coast Award a beautiful hand carved trophy and $2,500 in gold nuggets. By the time King made it to Unalakleet Lance Mackey had taken command of second place leading Martin Buser by only two minutes; Mackey arrived at 4:20 and Buser at 4:22. Kasilof musher Paul Gebhardt had also made an impressive run from Kaltag to Unalakleet and leap up to third place arriving at 4:27. Gebhardt made a bold move to leave Unalakleet before any of the other leaders (especially Mackey) realized. It was then that Mackey made the decision to forge ahead up the gold coast… he passed Gebhardt and cruised into first place before reaching Shaktoolik. From that point forward, Lance Mackey extended his lead and never looked back.

On to Nome…

Mackey was the first to arrive under the burled arch in Nome. Many of his team members were very well traveled. Thirteen (There’s that number again) members of Lance’s Yukon Quest Championship team were a part of his sixteen member Iditarod Championship team. He became the third member of his family to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. His Father Dick won the race in 1978 defeating Rick Swenson in a dash to the finish line. In 1987, Lance’s brother Rick won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race too. All three Mackey’s wore the same bib number… 13! Lance Mackey just happened to arrive in Nome at 8:08 pm on March 13th, 2007. The stars were definitely aligned.

Not too far off in the distance was Paul Gebhardt arriving in Nome at 10:28 pm on March 13th.

A Sprint to the Finish…

The 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race was far from over. Zack Steer from Sheep Mountain had gained significant real estate between Unalakleet and Nome. His team had moved fast enough to overcome two very surprised race veterans, Jeff King and Martin Buser. Steer was able to pass both mushers and claim third place. He was followed by Buser and then King rounding up the top five.

The Widow’s Lamp…

Over the course of the next 8 days Iditarod Sled Dog Race teams continued to stream in to Nome. When they finally reached the Burled Arch on front Street they transformed from competitors to “Finishers.” At 2:56 am, on March 20th, Iditarod Rookie and Official Finisher Ellen Halverson (from Big Lake) completed the cycle that began in Willow Alaska on March 4th. Ellen was greeted by a large crowd of well wishers and fans, and was awarded the 2007 Wells Fargo Red Lantern Award. She blew out the Widow’s Lamp signifying the end of the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; a race of epic proportion, of great achievements, of tremendous emotions. The Last Great Race on Earth lived up to its reputation… it truly was “As Tough As They Come.”

Iditarod Insider: One on One with Lance Mackey, 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion!

On March 23rd 2007, Lance Mackey came to the Iditarod Trail Committee Headquarters in Wasilla Alaska. Lance had just picked up his brand new Dodge Pick up Truck from Anchorage Chrysler Dodge. He sat in front of the Wall of Champions at the Headquarters and talked to “Insider” about his team, his battle with cancer, and his life changing 1st place finish in both the Yukon Quest and The Grand Daddy of them all The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Insider: So how long did it take you to recover?

Lance: I still haven’t. I still feel the trail effects… but you know… I’m willing to deal with that. This has been a very emotional ride… a little sleep depravation… no problem.

Insider: How certain were you (going into the race) that you were going to carry on the tradition that your Dad and brother started?

Lance: I was confident that I had the ability and that my team had the ability… but you know there were 81 other competitors out there. To say that I was sure I was going to win… absolutely not. I never count any body out.

Insider: How’s Zorro Doing?

Lance: He’s wonderful he came through everything great… he’s back to normal he’s healthy… and thank god everything turned out alright. He deserves to take a break right now. However, he’s going to be nine this summer (72 in dog years) and he still is the main man on my team. He is no longer a leader, but he is my all around best athlete. He’s been the stud in my kennel since he was a yearling and the team that I have right now is based around him. With the exception of two finishers they are all his siblings. The two exceptions happen to be Zorro’s uncle and half brother. He is the backbone of my success and I owe it all to him.

Insider: And everybody else in the history making team did they make it through ok?

Lance: They did. In fact they’re at home probably wondering why they haven’t been on a run lately. They’re an amazing group of athletes and I’m just honored to be the person to drive them.

Insider: How do you like the new truck?

Lance: Oh man it’s beautiful. We just came from there… It only has 70 miles on it. I still can’t believe that I have a new truck that I don’t have to pay for… it’s incredible.

Insider: Take us back to the finish line… It was one of the most unreal events in the history of this race. People were going crazy. What was it like for you?

Lance: It definitely wasn’t scripted. You have to understand that the Iditarod is a huge event. I’ve been dreaming about this… and me in this dream… since I was a little boy. In all honesty when the crowd was screaming my name and the people I know and love were in tears for me… for what I had just accomplished I couldn’t help but cry with them. Those tears were happy tears. The feelings were incredible… ecstatic. That new truck, that huge check with all those numbers… I never had a pay day like that. I’m proud to be the guy to accomplish what I did this year… how do you not get that excited.

Insider: So you said when you arrived on Front Street in Nome that this was Life changing… was it!

Lance: Oh yeah… I mean I haven’t even gotten to all the e-mails yet. There are all kinds of folks wanting to talk to me about this year and the accomplishments my team made. Radio stations, TV stations. Anchorage Chrysler Dodge wants to make a commercial. And the schools, lots of Schools, that’s going to be a lot of fun. Yesterday I was in a teleconference with a school in South Carolina. Kids have the greatest questions. This is different for me, but I do like it.

Insider: Doing what you’ve done… winning both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod… has that changed your sponsorship any?

Lance: At the moment nothing has changed in that department however I do expect it to, and the “Red Paw” dog food picked me up last year, and they told me before the race that if I happen to win the Iditarod, there was a huge bonus… so I’m looking forward to that. But you now I am still going to continue to do what I do.

Insider: It is a huge challenge to do what you just did… how do you get yourself in shape for something like this?

Lance: All the exercise I really need is keeping up with my team. We have a kennel of about 60 dogs. Just the every day chores and the style of life we as a family have chosen to lead …. With no electricity no running water… those choices will definitely keep you in shape. I don’t have any secret. I’m the king of junk food, I don’t watch my diet. I just try to keep up with my team.

Insider: So are you looking for a repeat?

Lance: You know I think that’s about the only thing I can do to top this. Again, I’m not looking to make history books and break records; I’m just trying to do my job the best I can, so yeah if I can come back next year and win another Iditarod … or win the Quest Great! But I just try to do the best I can with what I have in front of me at that particular time and this year just happened to be my time I guess. The stars aligned just right, and it’s not for lack of trying and devotion to my sport and pure determination. I’m determined to do the best I can in these races. I don’t have the big sponsors and everything I earn in these races go back into my kennel and for my kennel to be top caliber, I need to do well. This is a very expensive sport.

Insider: Let’s talk about the plan… Martin Buser, Jeff King, Doug Swingley… they all have plans, strategies… what was yours?

Lance: My plan is simple… do whatever it takes to get the job done. I’ve had schedules, set plans in the past, and inevitably it backfires. For my team’s sake the strategy is I go as fast or as slow as they pretty much demand. My schedule is theirs. I want them to all have a positive experience. I go by what they are capable of doing at that particular time. It works for me. I no longer go to a race to “race” so to speak… I go there with the intention to get as many members of my team to the finish line healthy, and in doing so; my positions have climbed steadily from 40th to first. My team is the number one priority, not the money, not the truck… my dogs are the key ingredient to acquiring those things, but in reality I’m nothing without them.

Insider: A lot of the media talked about how great it was to see a new face at the front of the Iditarod Pack… that said, how long do you see yourself competing in the Iditarod?

Lance: Well you know I’ve actually thought about that a little bit and I don’ know. I don’t want to try to duplicate something every year. There’s a lot to life other than racing dogs, I know that. And I’m looking forward to spending some time with my wife and fulfilling some of the dreams that she has, but right now it’s all I know, and it’s one of the things I’m good at and I’m not quite forty years old. The people I’m racing against… well… some of them are in their fifties and beyond. Now if they’re at that age and that competitive than why shouldn’t I be? I’m going to go as long as I possibly can as long as I’m feeling good and competitive. You know this sport is too expensive to basically just go on a camping trip each March.

Insider: You know, behind you is the Iditarod Wall of Champions… pretty soon your likeness will be on that wall too… how does that feel?

Lance: When I was growing up superman and spider man didn’t mean anything to me… I grew up in a mushing family… the folks behind me are my heroes. Rick Swenson, Susan Butcher, Emmitt Peters, and of course my father (Dick Mackey), my brother (Rick Mackey), growing up around these folks… it was a different world. And (for about ten years) it was hard for me not to be a part of that lifestyle when I was out commercial fishing and “running wild” .

I’m just a normal person, it’s amazing to me to be sitting here as an Iditarod Champion. Kids… coming up to me asking for my autograph, telling me that they rooted for me… that just blows my mind.

There are people who say I’m an inspiration. I’m humbled by that. But you want to know the truth, my inspiration was living. My initial goal when I had this little bout with cancer was just to live… and live on purpose… I had some goals and one of them was to win the Iditarod. So for me to be to be an inspiration to folks just blows my mind, because all I wanted to do is live, and fulfill my dreams. For my peers to vote me as an inspirational musher, I was at a loss for words, I still am. I still don’t quite understand all this. I am a normal guy who happens to love what I do. Running on one runner on the Farewell Burn through the Dalzell Gorge… that was just something I had to deal with. Most folks in my situation would have done the same thing. I am just honored.

Insider: One final question Lance, why do you think that people rallied around you the way they did… especially people from Alaska.

Lance: That’s a good question, as an Alaskan I think most Alaskans appreciate the fact that all I am is me. I don’t pretend to be anybody else, I tell it like it is, the way I see it. I keep it real. I’m emotional about things that mean a lot to me, I don’t have a problem expressing that. I think folks in Alaska are like that. It goes back to the question about why don’t I have big corporate sponsors, and maybe it goes back to the fact that I’m not all polished and proper. I’m not going to cut my hair, and I’m not going to do something that I don’t believe in. And really all I try to be is down to earth. I think folks respect that. I’m not the kind of person that’s willing to put on a show. My show is as real as it gets. I say what I believe, and sometimes I say things that I probably shouldn’t… but that’s me.

“Can we check the race stats?” “Who’s leading?” “Where’s my musher?” “Has she taken her 24 yet?” Students finish their math quickly in hopes that extra time at the end of a class period might provide them with a few minutes to check the race stats. When the Iditarod mushers are on the trail, students are on the Internet any chance they can. Students are also learning curriculum material that teachers have plugged into existing curriculum. Now, a new resource tool brings the race to the classroom like never before! Iditarod Insider. It isn’t just video— it is real time education!

“The most exciting part of our Iditarod unit in my 2nd grade classroom was for the kids to come to the computer lab & be able to see the heli-fly-overs from Insider on the big screen. We also used the virtual map,” commented an educator from Anchorage. “Thanks, GCI!”

Thanks to the sponsorship and partnership with GCI School Access and Iditarod, the students in Alaska have the opportunity to access Iditarod Insider free at schools. Insider is a tool that brought the 2007 Iditarod race directly from the trail to the classroom. The educational materials on Iditarod Insider also supplied teachers with many lesson ideas and activities aligned to Alaska’s content standards, reinforcing the opportunity for teachers to connect the race to existing curriculum through out the entire school year.

Ongoing projects will be featured on the educational materials section of Iditarod Insider, encouraging classrooms around the world to visit the website throughout the entire school year, not just during the race. These opportunities will help teachers enhance classroom education in many curriculum areas. A partnership with NOAA will help teachers teach concepts in science which help communities be Storm Ready. Lessons and resources will help teachers and students be more knowledgeable and more prepared for weather related events. Next fall, Iditarod Insider’s school technology projects will connect classrooms in Alaska and around the world. As a new school year begins and the 2008 Iditarod season gets underway, students will be able to share information about their schools, their communities, and curriculum areas, by being involved in the on line projects. Iditarod Insider will be an important resource for teachers and students.

Thanks to GCI School Access and Iditarod Insider, Alaska’s students are connected by 21st century learning opportunities. Iditarod Insider is a technology tool that enables schools and teachers a resource and practical application of content material. It provides students with real time information about their event, Iditarod. Alaska’s past and Alaska’s present, come together to build on a better future, with the help of GCI School Access and Iditarod Insider in the Alaska schools.

For additional information about how your school can subscribe to Iditarod Insider, contact Diane Johnson, Education Director at 605 228 6071 or djohnson@iditarod.com for additional information. Be a part of this learning opportunity!

The investigation is being conducted by the Anchorage law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine. Investigators said that efforts to conduct the investigation via telephone have not been as successful as hoped. They are making plans to travel to Golovin early next week in order to conduct interviews within the community.

Once the investigation findings are gathered the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors will likely call for a special meeting to fully consider the matter. The Board is hopeful that that meeting can take place at some point in the not to distant future.

Other than an update from the investigation team, the board of directors will not be taking up the matter at tomorrows meeting.

The 25th running of the Jr. Iditarod belonged to Rohn Buser! Buser, who in January had finished fourth in the Kuskokwim 300, started out in 12th position and by the time the mushers reached the Big Su checkpoint, he had passed the others and was in first place, where he stayed for the rest of the race, finishing a little more than 30 minutes ahead of second place finisher, Megan Hedgecoke or Two Rivers. Buser won a $5,000 scholarship courtesy of retired executives from Wells Fargo, National Bank of Alaska and Norwest Banks. Buser, and as did the other mushers, took home an assortment of other prizes that had been donated by various local businesses. He led the Iditarod mushers out of Anchorage on March 4 and also received a trip to Nome to be recognized at the Awards’ Banquet. An interesting side note is that like the winner of the Iditarod, Rohn was also wearing the “lucky bib #13.” Rohn plans to run the Iditarod in 2008.

Hedgecoke, a rookie running her only Jr. Iditarod because she will be too old in 2008, and Jessica Klejka, Bethel veteran musher also running her last Jr. Iditarod, jockeyed back and forth between second and third place. Hedgecoke ended up finishing second as well as being the top rookie in this year’s race Hedgecoke received a $3,000 scholarship for finishing second and a $1,000 scholarship for being selected to receive the Humanitarian Award, presented each year by the Wasilla Veterinary Clinic to the musher chosen by the veterinary staff to have taken the best care of his or her dog team during the race. For that she received a hand crafted sculpture made by Sandra May of Trapper Creek. Hedgecoke’s lead dog, Imac, was also chosen by the other mushers to be the recipient of the Lolly Medley Blue Harness Award.

Klejka finished third, her best finish in three Jr. Iditarods. She received a $1,500 scholarship.

Melissa Owens, four time Jr. Iditarod finisher from Nome and 2005 Jr. Iditarod champion, and Ellen King, two time finisher from Denali, chased each other for fourth place, with Owens ending up finishing in fourth and King in fifth. Owens’ scholarship was $1,000 and King’s was $500. Owens will be competing with Buser for rookie honors in the 2008 Iditarod.

This year’s Jr. Iditarod saw a record number of 26 mushers starting the race, 16 of whom were rookies. In addition to Hedgecoke, five other rookies finished in the top 10: Ava Lindner, Two Rivers, Quinn Iten, Kotzebue, Gerald Outwater, Kotzebue, and Jesse DeLoach, Trapper Creek. Since four of this year’s 10 Jr. Iditarod veterans will be too old to run next year, these rookies from this year will be the top competitors for the next couple of years.

Quinn Iten was selected by his fellow mushers as the winner of the Sportsmanship Award and was presented with a $1,000 scholarship. The Red Lantern Award went to Chrystiene Salesky. Every musher received either a trophy or finishers’ plaque and assorted prizes donated by local merchants.

The Board of Directors chose pilot Joe Pendergrass as the honorary musher for the 2007 Race. Joe has been a pilot for the Jr. Iditarod more years than anyone can remember and was quite thrilled with being the honorary musher.

The 2007 Jr. Iditarod departed from tradition by electing to start and finish at different locations. The start was at Knik Lake and the mushers went through checkpoints at Burma Road, the Big Su, Eagle Song Lodge and on to the halfway point at the Yentna Station Roadhouse, the home of the Dan Gabryszak family. After a 10 hour layover at Yentna, the mushers went back to Eagle Song and then to a checkpoint at Scarry Tree and finished at Willow at the Willow Community Center, where the banquet was held following the finish.

The Jr. Iditarod Sled Dog Race is for young mushers from ages 14 through 17. For the most part, these mushers have come from Alaska, but over the years mushers have participated from Montana, Minnesota, Canada and Czechoslovakia. Entries for the 2008 Jr. Iditarod will be accepted on June 30 at the Iditarod volunteer picnic. The 2008 race rules and policy and the 2008 paperwork should be on the Jr. Iditarod website, http://www.jriditarod.com/, by the middle of May. Any questions may be directed to 907-376-5155, ext 103.

A complete list of 2008 mushers and finish times follows:

1. Rohn Buser 08:26:07 – 10
2. Megan Hedgecoke (r) 09:03:15 – 10
3. Jessica Klejka 09:08:27 – 9
4. Melissa Owens 09:09:58 – 9
5. Ellen King 09:44:35 – 9
6. Ava Lindner (r) 10:02:14 – 9
7. Quinn Iten (r) 10:06:41 – 9
8. Michael Owens (r) 11:05:53 – 9
9. Gerald Outwater (r) 11:06:22 – 9
10. Jesse DeLoach (r) 11:09:56 – 10
11. Michael Miller 11:19:21 – 9
12. Patrick Mackey (r) 11:27:48 – 10
13. Cain Carter 11:27:58 – 10
14. Jeff Holt (r) 11:45:34 – 9
15. Charlie Allison 12:24:09 – 9
16. Garry McKeller 12:39:36 – 9
17. Daniel Osmar (r) 12:39:54 – 8
18. MacKenzie Davis 13:20:13 – 9
19. Amanda Olson 14:49:33 – 8
20. Matthew Durden (r) 15:16:05 – 10
21. Rebekah Ruzicka (r) 15:42:52 – 9
22. Chrystiene Salesky (r) 17:44:00 – 9

Scratched: Kristin Cain (r), Ilsa Schwarzburg (r), David May (r) and Wade Marrs (r)

On Friday, April 13, 2007, The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Northwest Chapter announced that the documentary “IDITAROD 2006, Mother Nature’s Turn to Dance” has been nominated for an Emmy Award.

“Mother Nature’s Turn to Dance” is a 95 minute long form documentary that was the Iditarod Trail Committee’s first attempt at depicting the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in its entirety. The 44th Annual Northwest Regional Emmy Awards Nomination List represents the selections from television submissions in the northwest region of the United States (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Montana).

The Emmy Awards Ceremony will be held at the Jonas Jensen Fremont Studios and Theatre on June 2nd, 2007.

For Further Information Contact:
Chas St.George, Director Public Relations 907.352.2215

This has been the year of the number 13 for the 2007 Iditarod. Although it was the 35th running of the Race, we have become very aware of the number associated with Lance Mackey’s bib. Lance made it known when he camped out for a week in front of Iditarod headquarters to be able to pick that number for his leaving position from the start line.

His dad and brother both won when they wore the number 13, the fact that he started with 13 dogs that had won the Yukon Quest with him and he finished on the 13th of March

There have been other associations to the number 13 this year that didn’t really come into focus until after the fact.

The IditaRider Musher Auction has been a successful fundraiser for the Iditarod for 13 years. People from all over the world came to Anchorage this year to be in the sled of an Iditarod musher. Through this program, the Iditarod has become the focus of documentaries, web sites, family traditions and school kids, only to mention a few. Beverley Nelms from Fort Worth, Texas has become a familiar name among IditaRiders and this year marked her 13th of participation.

Whether it is the first or the 13th time to bid in the IditaRider auction, there are always opportunities for those thrill seekers who would like to leave from the Start line in Anchorage in the sled of an Iditarod Musher. The choice of a particular musher belongs to the highest bidder when the auction closes at the end of January. If bidding takes more time that you have, the musher of your choice may be purchased with a lock bid of $7500. Not only is an eleven mile ride included in this trip of a lifetime, but you also get to have lunch with your musher, as well as a class on learning how to ride in the sled, and you get to hang out with the true athletes of this race, the sled dogs. Mark your calendar for November 1st 2007, and log on to http://www.iditarodauction.com/ for your chance to be a part of the “Last great Race on Earth” in 2008!

My sincere thanks to all those who have expressed their concern for my missing dog Aafes. This dog became detached from the team while negotiating through deep overflow and high winds outside of the Rohn checkpoint on the Alaska Range. Words can not express the happiness of having this dog safely back home!

Aafes was recently recovered from the Rohn cabin area by Manny Wrase and Allen Winkelman who had flown to the search area three times and spent several days looking for Aafes. I give my heartfelt thanks to Manny and Allen for all they did to make this tragic event turn into such a happy ending! I also give my thanks to Robert Donhauser who also flew his private aircraft to the search area on three occasions, looking for our missing teammate.

It is also worth noting that several of the Iditarod Air Force pilots conducted Ariel reconnaissance of the search area looking for Aafes, and I am very appreciative of their efforts as well.

Upon arrival in Anchorage, Aafes was taken to the VCA Bering Sea Animal Hospital and was examined by Dr. Karen A. Medkeff. Aafes was found to be in reasonably good health, and is now living indoors and eating and sleeping a lot! I give my thanks to Dr. Medkeff and to the staff of the Bering Sea Animal Hospital in examining Aafes.

Once again, many thanks to the multitude of good people who gave their prayers, sent messages of support and who contributed to the searching and safe recovery of Aafes.

We sometimes forget the value of life and the love we have for our pets until they are removed from us. In this instance, I am blessed that I have been given a second chance with Aafes.

-GB Jones

KASILOF, Alaska — Jeff King’s dogs nap on simulated mountaintops and run through real valleys – a one-two combination that experts who train Olympic athletes, Tour de France cyclists and the NFL’s Chicago Bears advise for peak fitness.

 

Not everyone is onboard with the idea that breathing thin air improves performance, especially with sled dogs, which already have inherently superior heart and lung systems to humans. And King is quick to point out that altitude training won’t make or break his dog team, but it just might give them a small edge. “This is very small, but it could be very significant,” he said, talking by cell phone as he drove the Parks Highway north to Fairbanks from his home in Denali Park. “It’s not in lieu of any type of training. In fact, if I learned anything, this is just putting an edge on the samurai sword. You better worry about building the sword first. This is just polishing the edge. I believe it will help.”

King was on his way up the highway to speak at the annual Alaska Dog Mushers Association mushing symposium, where he announced this latest move to field a dog team that he hopes will be good enough to win his fifth Iditarod. If King wins No. 5, he’ll be the second ever with that many victories, joining Rick Swenson.

King keeps coming up with ideas to improve performance, whether it’s harness and sled designs or his latest push: a summer-long program of intensive daily swimming to keep his dogs in peak shape.

Swimming laps around Goose Lake all summer and the altitude conditioning are actually hand-in-glove, King said. Both ideas emerged as he studied the success of Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France. While the swimming involved an investment of time and a couple quality outboard motors, the altitude barn had a much higher sticker price. A room conversion from the supplier, Colorado Altitude Training, starts at $18,000 and goes up.

“I did lots of research and negotiations, and eventually made a commitment to try this on dogs,” King said. “Nobody’s done it.”

Despite the relatively remote location of King’s dog lot, two-thirds of the way between Anchorage and Fairbanks on a two-lane highway, it was no big deal setting a unit up, said Rip Young, director of marketing for Colorado Altitude Training. The only hassle was mild inconvenience since there is no local hardware store for supplies. “Logistically speaking, there wasn’t a Home Depot down the road, so we pretty much had to pack in everything we needed,” Young said.

The theory behind altitude training is to take advantage of the body’s reaction to the lack of oxygen at high elevations – 8,000 feet and up. It spurs an increase in production of red blood cells and a few other changes, including improved breathing, Young said. The principle is to rest at high altitude but workout closer to sea level. Something about that combination in particular seems to heighten the training, producing better results.

Athletes have long slept in altitude tents for a performance boost. And barns have been converted over by owners of thoroughbred racing horses, but it’s never been done for dogs until now. “Generally, what we’ve seen in animals is a very similar reaction to humans, which is improved endurance, and quicker recovery time. There are some indications of greater speed and even acceleration to top-end speed and improved power,” Young said.

The way it works is pretty simple. A room is sealed relatively tightly so that pumps and separators can essentially strain oxygen from the mix of air entering a room. The equipment drops the oxygen level from the standard 20.9 percent oxygen at sea level to, say, 13 percent – the number can be set to mimic the thinner air of any altitude. There isn’t any pressure change involved.

King is trying to figure out if the equipment produces any discernable performance change in his team. He’s been having a control group of his best racing dogs rest in the converted barn for six to eight hours a day. He has enlisted the help of Arleigh Reynolds, a renowned canine physiologist and sprint musher who lives in Fairbanks. “We are finishing up the first stages of testing, and I plan to have the whole team on altitude training by Nov. 1, on the days they’re home,” King said.

King’s dogs increasingly aren’t at home, but for a very good reason. They’re on the trail all day. His goal in keeping his dogs fit all summer with 90-minute swim sessions was to be able to transition into long runs on land early in the fall. He met that goal, in a huge way. By Halloween, his team was running 50-plus miles from Cantwell down the rolling, snow-dusted Denali Highway to King’s tent camp near the Susitna River. They’d camp a few hours and make the run home.

By contrast, most (but not all) distance mushers are happy to reach 20 miles this time of year.
Jeff King begins a training run with his team.
Jeff King begins a training run with his team.
Photo by Matt Brossart

That level of mileage, going 50 miles at a time, is typically unheard-of this time of year, and King says the credit goes to the swimming program. The dogs this year are more fit than they were this time last year.

“But can I parlay that into a better, more prepared team?” King asked. “I believe I can. I started at a level of fitness and attitude that was controlled, happy and powerful. Historically, I’m not big on records, but I do have landmark dates and mileages, and I can well remember when I first hit a 50 mile-run on Thanksgiving, I was doing back flips, thinking, ‘Can you believe how far we’ve come?’ Then last year, we did a 40-mile run on Halloween. They were tired but they did it. This year, I only stopped at 50 because I didn’t have any more snow and I’m going to run their feet off. I’ve gone through 2,000 booties.”

The Denali Highway had between a dusting and 6 scant inches of snow before Halloween. With the dogs running on essentially frost-covered gravel, the booties were a necessity. Those Cordura® booties are fantastic quality, but they last about one run, if that, in those conditions.

It’s too soon to tell if the altitude training will pay off. But King, who delights in putting brainstorms into action, is plainly excited by it. It all goes back to Armstrong and his cycling coaches. They inspired a third idea, as well, but one that the dogs aren’t yet as excited about. King also spent the summer building a simple, doggy Jacuzzi to relieve sore muscles. He used a huge, 4-foot-deep tub intended to catch pollution around fuel tanks, figured a way to heat water inside of it and attached Jacuzzi units to the big bath. Their reaction? “They’re reluctant,” King said, his voice crackling as the cellular phone connection grew weak. “So far we’re getting in there with them. And they love that. We can stand with them and hold them so they’re treading water …,” he said, before the line went dead as he drove out of range.

Young said King should notice some benefits in his dogs after a solid month breathing rarefied air. Altitude conditioning takes about three to four weeks of steady use before athletes say they start feeling results. Stories written about the process suggest it is hard to verify whether there’s a physical improvement or a placebo effect in humans who use the technology. But there are many, many pro athletes who are sleeping tonight in some kind of plastic tent or converted room.

Of course, once the Iditarod starts, there’s no more access to the barn, but Young said athletes have about two weeks before they begin to lose the effects of the tent. And the Iditarod takes roughly nine days to win.

While King is the first Iditarod musher to employ high altitude conditioning for his dogs, surprisingly, he may not be the only driver at the starting line with a team that’s gone through the program. On Oct. 30, Young said his company had already been contacted by another dog musher who’d made a commitment to buy a unit. He wouldn’t disclose who it was since the sale was still pending.

A quick call to recent champions Mitch Seavey, Doug Swingley and Martin Buser resulted in three negatives. Seavey said he knew a little about the theory behind altitude training, partly through his son, Dallas, who wrestles at the Olympic level, and concluded there are other things to throw his money at. He asked if anyone knows what effect, if any, the altitude tents would have on dogs, since dogs already have superior cardio-vascular systems to horses, and are vastly better than humans. “There are so many factors that go into producing a top dog team, factors that I can more readily control than something like that, which is kind of an unproven thing,” Seavey said, adding he’s more interested in finding genetically gifted athletes. “If I’m going to go crazy on something, it’s going to have to be the very best dogs possible,” he said.

Swingley agreed with Seavey, adding that he trains at 9,000 to 10,000 feet anyway at his home trails near Lincoln, Mont. Swingley pointed out that the Iditarod does blood testing on dogs entering the race, and his dogs always match up with those trained at sea level. There’s no difference, he said.
Jeff King’s team stretches out the gangline on another early season run.
Jeff King’s team stretches out the gangline on another early season run.
Photo by Matt Brossart

But if it’s true that another competitor has already jumped to keep pace with King with this innovation, it won’t be the first time. King unveiled his now famous sit-down sled, the tail-dragger, three years ago at the Kuskokwim 300 in mid-January. Buser saw it in operation at that race and had his own version fully built and operational a month and a half later at the start of the Iditarod.

King said this idea is in response to the tough competition. He pointed out a video interview with Swingley, himself a four-time champ, filmed right after Swingley finished second behind King last year. Swingley noted that King shouldn’t rest on his laurels because he won’t be able to win it in 2007 doing the same thing he did in 2006. “And I believe him,” King said. “I don’t know if he knows what kind of fire he lit under me. It made me go, ‘Y’know, he’s right; whether it’s him or somebody else, I really want to pull out all the stops.’ I may not feel old, but I know I’m not going to be doing this forever, and I want to do whatever I’m going to do right now.”

KASILOF, Alaska — When word got out this past summer that 2006 Iditarod champ Jeff King converted his own Goose Lake into an exercise pool for his racing dogs, several other stories emerged of mushers who’ve gone to similar measures to keep their canine athletes fit through the offseason. One of those mushers is Sonny Lindner, the savvy veteran from Fairbanks who not only loves being with dogs in the great outdoors but is also capable of racing to the front.

 

The two men live relatively near each other, but each is notoriously busy.

“I always meant to go out and take a look, but never did, so I just built one like the picture,” Lindner said. “It looks just like it from the air. I have no idea how he really did it.”

While King’s idea was to string about 15 dogs at a time between two boats so the dogs can swim laps around the lake for 90 minutes, Lindner’s game plan is much more compact. About eight dogs jump into his 7-foot-deep pool and get a workout for about 45 minutes.

“They’re just treading water in the pool, but they tread or otherwise they’ll sink,” Lindner said, pointing out that treading water for close to an hour is hard work. Having a backyard pool is convenient, with one drawback being the need to constantly shuffle groups of dogs into the pool and monitor it constantly. It’s a daylong effort, performed about three times a week. The benefits? The dogs immediately are comfortable running a long time on dry land once Alaska weather turns cool enough in September. “We started right out with two hour runs, but going real slow because they haven’t had the impact on dry land that they got in the pool. So you’ve got to retrain their muscles, their shoulders and so on,” Lindner said.

(A two-hour run going slow might be 12 to 20 miles, but it depends on a musher’s definition of the word “slow.” Sprint mushers who fly around at 18 to 25 mph consider all distance teams to be slow, but a distance dog team will travel typically between 5 mph and 15 mph, depending on conditions.)

Other dog drivers who’ve used melted snow (also known as lakes and pools) in the summer to keep their dogs fit include mushers from Switzerland who raft their dogs out in a lake to swim back to shore. Charlie Boulding uses a slough between his homestead and a small island to swim his dogs on Alaska’s Tanana River. And Lindner recalls stories of mushers from Ruby and other parts of the Yukon River having their dogs swim alongside fishing boats in the summer. “Emmitt (Peters) and those guys downriver, those guys used to swim their dogs a lot,” Lindner said, also recalling stories of Joe Redington Sr. having dogs paddle around in a lake.

Lindner’s summer dedication and the steady development of his team over the past three or four years should bode well for 2007. The growth doesn’t show up in the stats – scratches in 2004 and 2005 and a 13th-place finish last year – but he’s been building a program, and was one of the happiest mushers on the trail last year. His team really moved and was happy all the way, and he has lots of leaders to choose from as they all turn a year older and more seasoned for 2007.

The scratch in 2005 was for health reasons: Lindner wasn’t feeling well. His premature finish in 2004 was musher error. “I had a team that was plenty fast but I made too many mistakes,” he said. Like what? “Going too fast.” One of the toughest disciplines in distance racing is saying “slow down” and “time for a break” when the dogs are excited and moving fast. But energy must be conserved in a race of 1,100 miles.

A few years before that, Lindner was helping Rick Swenson by running Swenson’s younger dogs, seasoning them for racing years ahead.

Now Lindner has his own kennel, and the preparation is done. “I don’t have a puppy team anymore. I’m going racing. It’ll be fun,” he said.

He’s got one other little boost: 15 of Susan Butcher’s best dogs. Lindner has long been friends with Butcher and her husband, David Monson. When Butcher fell ill with leukemia last year, she placed a few of her dogs on Lindner’s team. She and Monson were thrilled with their performance. The two families vacationed in Hawaii together after Iditarod and before Butcher’s last visit to the hospital before she died of leukemia in September. “When I came back, they decided to give me the racing team they had put together if things had gone better, that they hoped to put together and have David race,” Lindner said. “There’s some real nice ones in there. I think I’ll have a pretty good spread. They look good now, anyway. They look like weight lifters. Now it’ll be about getting them loosened up and stretched out and getting some long runs on.”

Jonrowe comes up short at triathlon
The 2006 Ironman World Championship on Kona, Hawaii, is notorious as the most grueling triathlon in the world. The waters off Kona were as choppy as ever, and DeeDee Jonrowe fell 10 minutes short of completing the competition, missing the two-hour 20-minute cutoff for finishing the 2.4-mile swim.

The race on Oct. 21 also consisted of a 112-mile bicycle course and 26.2-mile marathon. Jonrowe participated in part because she is drawn to distance running of the human variety in addition to her sled dog racing, but she also raced as a cancer survivor. Aside from grueling physical training, Jonrowe was busy in her offseason speaking at various events related to cancer.

Jonrowe finished fourth in the 2006 Iditarod and is obviously no longer on the rebound competitively after fighting breast cancer. She’s in the hunt again to win.

It appears that neither Jonrowe nor Lindner cares for merely treading water.