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Lance Macky won the Iditarod in 8 days 59 min 9sec. at a speed of 5.15 ave that makes him 4 in a row he also has throat cancer. over 1100 miles I think that is good.

Congrats to him!

dont know much about the iditarod but thats pretty damn amazing. We ought to be supportive of any sport where dogs are being used. I get a thrill out of watching dogs excel at what they do even if its not the sport that I love.

Lance is amazing! some of his main competition really amazes me as well some of them old boys are pretty long in the tooth.

Lance really loves his dogs and it is amazing to see how they will put out for him.This is a brutal race and just to make the finish is amazing.


Lance Mackey and Lance without the pants Armstrong both cancer survivors and real endurance heros.

Got this in an email:

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, said to be the Last Great Race on Earth (for dog enthusiasts, no doubt this is a fact), spans from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, 1100 miles in 11 days or less covering the most forbidden, winter, arctic weather imaginable through treacherous mountain terrain and over frozen seas. Each March for the last 75 years, sled dog racing enthusiasts from around the world challenge their dog teams' outdoor skills as well as their own endurance, strength, perseverance and team work in what is easily the most athletic K-9 competition in existence...THE IDITAROD.

I had the opportunity to witness the start of the 2010 Iditarod in Anchorage, then fly on to Finger Lake (Winterlake Lodge), the site of one of the first checkpoints, staffed with veterinarians and volunteers. This trip was made possible through the generosity of Wildrose client and friend, Bill Behnke and GCI, a major official Iditarod sponsor.

The sled dogs of today are largely mixed breeds known as Alaskan Huskies. I did see some beautiful, purebred Siberian Huskies but the most competitive teams are dogs of mixed genetics producing a small dog of amazing athletic endurance. I was told that Siberian Husky x Alaskan Malamute x German Shepherd x hounds among other breeds are involved, even bird dog, greyhound, Irish Setter, Collie, and other shepherd breeds. The exact mixture of the breedings seem to be tightly-held secrets. To see these dogs, many look like a mutt, smaller and much leaner/lighter than you would think for dogs that can pull loads through unbearable terrain and environmental conditions. These are surely the most athletic of adventure dogs in the world.

Amazingly, these dogs can run (most briskly trot) 100-130 miles per day with only short intervals of rest and do this for 9 to 12 days. Temperatures above 20 degrees Fahrenheit present conditions that begin to restrict performance. Huskies do better at lower temperatures.

These animals have a stunning ability to convert food to energy. Their high fat diets (50%-60% fat...enough to kill the normal hunting dog) contain fish, beef, added mixtures of fat, perhaps rice and specially-blended kibble, all cooked with water on a small, portable stove,prepared at rest stops by each musher. They also are fed a "cake" of protein and fats, mixtures specially made for the dogs, often by the musher. The feeding is an art based upon weather conditions, exertion, condition of each animal, all a judgment call made at each stop by the musher.

The dog's physical condition is a stunning consideration. According to an article on the Iditarod sled dogs in the March 2010 issue of Outside Magazine, studies show the VO2 max (a measure of the ability of an animal to take in and use oxygen in the bloodstream) in these dogs can reach 200. When Lance Armstrong was in shape for the Tour de France, his extraordinarily high VO2 was around 85! Fat seems to be the key to these dogs' remarkable endurance.

Dogs drop out of the teams usually early in the race. As the race progresses, many of them seem to gain energy, endurance and enthusiasm to run, finishing in better condition than when they started. The fitness of the best dogs actually improves, repairing themselves as the race progresses.

Lance Mackey finished the 2010 Iditarod in record time, seconds under 9 days making him the only 4-time consecutive winner in history! During the first days of the race reports showed that his team was averaging 6.8 miles per hour. By the end of the race, 7 to 8 days later, they were averaging over 10 miles per hour. Breeding, nutrition, training, and conditioning allow these athletes to run in snow and over mountains in extreme temperatures, a 100 miles each day, pulling a load. The dogs sleep only briefly in the snow with a quick, warm special meal and then do it again with many dogs not showing any signs of wear. But there are a number of dogs dropped at each check point. At the Finger Lake check point, there were 26 dogs dropped largely due to pulled muscles and sore joints. Lance began the race with a team of 16 dogs. He finished with only 11 while others were down to as low as 8.

Along the trail, well away from the check point camp, photographer Chip Laughton, and I awaited the mushers in silence. One could not hear the teams approach in the snowy forest. As dogs appeared and sped by, the sound of their pads briskly striking hard-packed snow and the slide of the sled as it passed... followed by silence... was stunning.

71 teams began the trek with 16 dogs each. 17 mushers were women. Dogs may be dropped along the trail if ill or if they show signs of lameness, injury or fatigue.

No question, these are the most athletic canines on the planet. No other dog sport or competition comes close when you consider distance, time, terrains, environmentals faced by these Huskies and their athletic endurance.

I was afforded the opportunity to mush a dog team (pictured at the top led by Frankie and Squeaky) and I can say it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had with dogs. It's addictive and mushing is physically challenging when you find yourself running behind the sled, pushing to help the team conquer a snow-covered trail up a mountain. I ended my trek with a huge envy and respect for the athletic men and women mushers and their dogs of the Iditarod Trail, the Super Bowl of dog athletics!

That was from Mike Stewart from Wildrose Kennels. Check that crap out! 100-130 miles a day..also check out their oxegyn intake and use and their fat contents in their food!

Guess our roading a few miles a day ain't much

I have watched it on the computer for the last 5 or6 years day by day hour by hour report. Brady I would have loved to been there.

Good for him. Anything promoting dogs is good.