The Last Great Race on Earth

This Saturday, March 7, marks the official start of the 2009 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Often called “The Last Great Race on Earth,” the Iditarod pits sled teams against nature to see who can cover over 1,100 miles of rugged terrain in the shortest length of time.

This annual race, which first started in 1973, commemorates a rich and often heroic past. The Iditarod Trail is a National Historic Trail that began as a mail and supply route that ran from Alaska’s coastal towns inland. Dog sleds were used to carry mail and supplies into the interior and then were reloaded to bring back gold from the mines. In 1925, mushers and their dog teams used this trail to deliver lifesaving serum for victims of a diphtheria epidemic in Nome.

This year’s lineup has 67 sled teams slated to compete. While there are entries from Canada, Norway, and the lower 48 United States, the vast majority of the mushers call Alaska home. Each dog team consists of 12 to 16 canines. Alaskan malamutes, which natives bred from wolves, were originally used to pull sleds. Today, mushers prefer mixed-breed huskies that are specifically bred for speed, endurance, good temperament, tough feet, and a love for running.

The Iditarod kicks off with great fanfare during a ceremonial start in the metropolitan city of Anchorage in south central Alaska. The official start of the race begins the next day with a restart 50 miles away in Willow. The race alternates each year between a northern and southern route – this year being an odd numbered year, teams will take the southern trail.

Sled teams quickly leave the safety of civilization for the dangers of Alaska’s wild country where they encounter mountains, forests, frozen rivers and tundra, rugged coastline, and potentially even an angry moose. Weather conditions are extreme with competitors facing blizzards with whiteout conditions, sub-zero temperatures, and gale force winds resulting in wind chills as low as -100 degrees Fahrenheit.

During the race, there are 26 checkpoints where sled teams must check in, and there are three mandatory rest breaks (one 24-hour and two 8-hour periods). Necessary supplies for teams are flown ahead to the various checkpoints during the race.

The first team to cross the finish line in Nome, located on the western Bering Sea coast, wins the legendary race. (The winning team is determined by the nose of the first dog to cross the finish line.) The record to beat was set in 2002 when Martin Buser completed the race in 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes, and 2 seconds (compare that to the 20 days it took back in 1973). The closest finish occurred in 1978 with only a one-second difference between the first and second place finishers.

There truly are no losers in this Last Great Race on Earth. Any sled team that can survive the extremes of the Alaskan wilderness and overcome the challenges of the Iditarod has indeed accomplished an enormous feat.