Sonny Lindner, 64, was born in Michigan on Christmas Eve. He came to Alaska in 1970 and attended the University of Alaska at Fairbanks where he graduated in 1972. He began mushing in the early 70’s and became interested in the Iditarod in 1976 when he had friends having fun running the race. He was the winner of the first Yukon Quest. He finished fourth in the All Alaska Sweepstakes in 2008. Sonny lists his occupation as “farming, dogs and construction.” He has four adult children, Erika, R.T., Chad and Ava, and two young children, Sarah, 12, and Sam, 10. His partner is Gina. He is also a grandfather. He says, “I enjoy spending the year training and working with sled dogs. I go in the race to see if they have learned well. ”