Aliy arriving in McGrath.


Dan Seavey just outside the Rainy Pass Checkpoint.

I think it's really cute that Martin and Rohn Buser are in 1st and 2nd

Holy cow! 71-yr old Lanier is first to the half-way point! And 74-yr old Dan Seavey bringing up the rear!

What are our excuses, people?!? There are some tough folks out there on that trail!

SabakaMom wrote:

Holy cow! 71-yr old Lanier is first to the half-way point! And 74-yr old Dan Seavey bringing up the rear!

What are our excuses, people?!? There are some tough folks out there on that trail!

Lanier hasn't made his mandatory 24 hour rest yet. Still a good show but in reality he's much further back. Looks like the race is coming down to Aliy and Mitch but there's a ways to go yet.

I know, Brian. I think he just made that push without the rest for the $3000 and recognition of getting to Cripple Creek first.

Some people think the Iditarod us cruel? What? Are they ignorant or just stupid?

Has anyone read this about Scott Janssen giving his 9 yr old mouth to nose to revive him. Loves his dogs. http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/animal-house/201203/iditarod-musher-dramatically-revives-fallen-dog

dahowlers wrote:

Some people think the Iditarod us cruel? What? Are they ignorant or just stupid?"

Only to the humans, it can get really nasty on the weather front.

rbrent wrote:

Has anyone read this about Scott Janssen giving his 9 yr old mouth to nose to revive him. Loves his dogs. http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/animal-house/201203/iditarod-musher-dramatically-revives-fallen-dog

That's awesome I missed it., thanks!

Wow, that's some drama. Glad he could save the dog.

There are some cool pics of the race in general here

I missed to CPR story, too! Awesome...

I have been reading that with temps SOARING to... uhhhh ... a whopping 23 degrees, Hank Debruin has been having to rest his Sibes since they are getting too hot! The Sibes are evidently better insulated than the mixes. I love it that he and Karen are racing together. What a sight that must be!

I think eddy knows something about runing dogs in that temp.....

So do the mixs have coats on?!? Wish we could watch it for free.


I love reading the story on scott saving his boy, wow 9 and racing, I hope they get him home and feeling better. it gives me great hope sierra still has a lot in her at 9.

They run them up to 10 or 11 I think sometimes if they feel they're capable!

They put coats on them. The Alaskans tend to have thinner/shorter fur depending on where they train. Some of those teams come from the coasts of Alaska where they get the sea winds and it's usually in the negatives - so a lot colder where they live/train year round then they come to run this race and it's been staying above zero these last few years. The dogs living/training at the coast develop thicker undercoats because of the conditions there - but for them it's even too hot for them to run.

These dogs perform much better the colder it is.

They put coats on them sometimes Jennifer (But I don't think they're like coats/sweaters or anything just like vests?) - just like they wear booties also. Some of those mixes have incredibly short coats.

Oh my... Anyone want a pup in a few months?...

http://community.adn.com/adn/node/160229

I saw that, not good for the continuity of the team. I thought giving them birth control was standard practice but I guess not.

Lordbroll wrote:

I thought giving them birth control was standard practice but I guess not.

That's what Redington said near the end of the article. I would guess these dogs could be messing up other people's races as well. I read another article stating that Mackey started the race knowing that Maple was in heat. He considered leaving her home, but couldn't do it. Then he considered sending her home on the trail, but still he kept her.

I've never heard of this happening as much before as it have this year... but I've only followed this closely for a few years.

Aily Zirkle has regained the lead with just a little over 350 miles to go!

Well with 123 miles to go to Nome it looks like it's Dallas Seavey's race to lose. Aily Zirkle does have one more dog in her team than Dallas but not sure it's enough to make up the gap.

thanks for keeping us up to date!

SabakaMom wrote:

Holy cow! 71-yr old Lanier is first to the half-way point! And 74-yr old Dan Seavey bringing up the rear!

What are our excuses, people?!? There are some tough folks out there on that trail!

Ummm... it's to freakin' cold

I read somewhere that either Debruin or Ramstead could possibly break the Siberian speed record of 11 days, 20 hours, 39 minutes and 11 seconds held by Blake Freking (2010). That would be good!

SabakaMom wrote:

I read somewhere that either Debruin or Ramstead could possibly break the Siberian speed record of 11 days, 20 hours, 39 minutes and 11 seconds held by Blake Freking (2010). That would be good!

Considering the very warm conditions that would be a nice feat.

Aliy crosses the ocean, 2010.

She's closed the gap on Seavey to just 20 minutes.

It looks all but over...

Aliy Zirkle said early this morning that Dallas Seavey will be out of her reach in the final leg of the race. Smyth said the marathon runs his team made up the Norton Sound coast have left him without the speed he would need to gain ground on the younger musher.

We're moments away from a 2012 Iditarod champion musher and team!