Jamaican born Newton Marshal came down Front Street this afternoon and was greeted by a large enthusiastic crowd. To make his arrival in Nome even more festive, several of his favorite tunes were broadcast over the public address system. Since beginning his career in mushing almost ten years ago, Newton has finished the Yukon Quest as well as the Iditarod.
The Mushing Mon crossed the finish line in 43rd place, improving from 47th in his rookie Iditarod in 2010. Newton also attempted the Iditarod in 2011 and 2013. Last year Newton was forced to scratch in Nicolai when one of his dogs, May, slipped her collar and departed the team when Newton had stopped to assist another musher. Wrong-way May, as she became known, was sighted numerous times but was very elusive. May eventually found her way back to within 50 miles of the starting line before she was apprehended. May was none the worse for wear and if she could write or speak would have quite a story to tell. Newton on the other hand was somewhat the worse for wear with worry about the white dog he’d borrowed from Jim Lanier. May’s adventure had a happy ending.
The Jamaican Dog Musher says, “I like the warm sun but the cold teaches you how to get tough. To survive in the wilderness, Mother Nature teaches you how to take care of yourself and take care of the dogs. Mushing is the first sport I fell in love with. I love running dogs because it’s just me and the dog team.”
Through mushing and the book he’s authored, One Mush, Newton has a message for kids in Jamaica or anywhere in the world, “If you want something you have to go get it yourself. The results can be endless.”
Newton was running a combination team of dogs from Wade Marrs and Kathleen Frederick. Both Wade and Kathleen were on hand in Nome this afternoon to welcome Newton and his dogs. May’s owner, Jim Lanier, was there to offer his congratulations to Newton on surviving the challenges and finishing the 2014 race. Jim said he was proud of Newton for a job well done on the trail. To receive a compliment like that from Jim Lanier who’s run 17 Iditarod races spanning five decades certainly means a lot. Jim by the way scratched from the 2014 race after straining his Achilles tendon and breaking some ribs. It was good to see Jim in Nome this afternoon. He’s on the mend.
When asked what he enjoyed most about the race, Newton said, “The dogs, they are my heart beat. They got me through the rough parts of the trail.” Newton showered his leader, Monica, with accolades of praise. Asked what was the hardest part of the race, as one might expect, Newton said that the Gorge was treacherous and the winds along the coast were something he’d never experienced before.
Completing this race is an accomplishment Newton and the other 2014 finishers will remember for years to come. It’s an experience that defies description, you had to be there to fully appreciate what these mushers experienced. Mushers who started the race and either scratched or finished are members of a unique brotherhood and are in a league of their own.
