Last Saturday, at about 2 p.m, the 35th Alaskan Iditarod statrted at Willow, Alaska. This Iditarod dog race will cover 1,150 miles over rugged Alaskan terrain and has been referred to as the "Greatest Dog Race." It began at a small Alaskan village called Willow and will end at Nome a city on the western-end of Alaska. The race might take nine days to complete.
At 24 race checkpoints there will be 86 tons of dog food and vetrernary care available for the mixed breed Alaskan Husky dogs (which only weigh about 50 pounds.) These sled dogs are known and respected for their power and race endurance. It is not unusual to notice these special sled dogs running and pulling a weighted sled and driver for 150 miles a day.
In 2006 Jeff King won the Iditarod with a time of 9 days, 11 hours, 11 minutes and 36 seconds. The best-ever race time was, however, recorded by sled driver Martin Buser in 2002 of 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes and 2 seconds.
Eighty-three (83 )sled teams began the the 35th Iditarod at Willow, Alaska, seeking to become the "greatest" dog sled team for 2007.
The weather?
Anchorage-- 4 degrees F.
Kaltag-- -36 degrees F.
Nome-- -20 degrees F.
This is an incredible endurance race where participants train yearlong with a team of special bred dogs just to have a chance to be called the winner of the Great Alaskan Iditarod (best dog sled team in the world.)
