R is for 

Respect! According to Sanka W Dog, respect is “To admire someone or something deeply because of their abilities, qualities, actions or achievements.” Respect can come in so many forms along the Iditarod Trail.  Respect for the canine athletes, mushers, volunteers.  The time, effort, courage, and perseverance that is put into not only running the race but also organizing is worthy of respect.  

Respect can also be felt for experiences such as making it through a snowstorm, or looking up and seeing the northern lights along the trail, anything that Mother Nature has to offer.  Respect can be felt for ALL aspects of the Iditarod.

Mother Nature
Photo credits: Terrie Hanke

R is for

Rookies!  A rookie is a first-year musher in the Iditarod. To race in the Iditarod, it takes a lot of training.  According to race rules, in order to qualify to run the Iditarod, “You are required to run two (2) approved 300 mile or more qualifying races and one (1) 150 mile or more approved qualifying race, total of 3 races, unless you run the Yukon Quest and in that case, you don’t need any other qualifiers. You also need a rookie reference from a musher who has completed the Iditarod.”  This year there will be 11 rookies mushing in the Iditarod:

Deke Naaktgeborn of Fairbanks, AK

Fabio Berlusconi of Lomazzo, Italy

Mille Porsild of Denmark

Martin Massicotte of St-Tite, Quebec

Gabe Dunham of Willow, AK

Kaci Murringer of Willow, AK

Riley Dyche of Fairbanks, AK

Damon Ramaker or Fountain, MN

Tom Frode Johansen of Furuflaten, Norway

Grayson Bruton of Sterling, AK

Quince Mountain of Mountain, WI

Click here to learn more about all of the 2020 Iditarod mushers.

A Tribute to Perseverance:

What was the longest time to finish the Iditarod Trail?  John Schultz in 1973, the first Iditarod.  That year 34 teams set out from Anchorage to Nome, over a third scratched before making it to Nome.  John bravely persevered along the Iditarod trail for 32 days 5 hours 19 minutes and 1 second! 

Which Red Lantern recipient finished with the fastest time? Stay tuned for the answer….

Teachers: 

Using the Iditarod website to analyze the mushers is a great way to teach probability.  Check out  Jen Reiter’s, 2014 Teacher on the Trail,  “Mathing” Down the Trail to find a great lesson on probability  “Who Runs the Iditarod”.