By Joe Runyan
The race formally starts in Wasilla on Sunday. The ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday is largely symbolic, covering only about 22 miles before the mushers quickly reload their dogs in trucks at Eagle River and retreat back to the quiet of their host families. Some mushers living close to the start have the advantage of being able to take their dogs back to their homes, which means their dogs might rest easier in familiar surroundings.
On Sunday morning, the musher rises early and waters the dogs with a soup baited with commercial feed, cooked fish or meat broth. The musher knows that the weather in Willow can be warm, and that dehydration and overheating are considerations for the health of the team. A few miles from Willow, the trail leaves the margin of the Knik road and heads west toward the Skwentna River, leaving the road system for good. The spring afternoon sun quickly warms the air, and the dogs, in their exuberance, can overexert themselves and slightly overheat.