Lance Mackey—The Champ is back in Town by Joe Runyan

I find Lance Mackey, the 4X Iditarod Champ, back in town.   Just off a third place finish in the Yukon Quest, a thousand mile run from Fairbanks to Whitehorse, left the veteran and team toughened for the Iditarod.  I caught Lance and his wife Tonya at lunch at the Millenium Hotel, Anchorage headquarters for the Iditarod Trail Committee.

Lance Mackey at Lunch—Is he still racing?

As some readers already know, Lance and I collaborated on his book, “The Lance Mackey Story, How my Obsession with Dog Mushing Saved my Life.” (2008 first printing)   Not only did I get to know him a lot better, in the process I found him to be one of the toughest, empathetic, personalities I have ever met.  He also lives, if you get to know him a little, perpetually in discomfort, a subject he discusses objectively in his book, but dismisses simply as another dimension of his adventure.  Living with the aftermath of cancer treatments, one can imagine the challenges he internalizes, but never reveals.

Mackey is gaunt, raw boned, and chiseled from a winters training and his recent third place finish at the Yukon Quest.   While we talked, Lance was in race mode ordering a huge breakfast of eggs, toast, oatmeal, cream, “can you bring me some more raisins and nuts,” an attempt to gain some weight before the official Iditarod start on Saturday, March 3. 

Tonya, his wife, organizer, mediator, buffer, filter, personal trainer, etc. casually maintained an old drill, making sure the waiter kept bringing more food.  As we talked, the cell phone rang regularly, to which Lance answered, “I really have no idea,” and in a practiced ritual handed the phone to Tonya, who in turn organized a couple of book signings, appearances, meetings, and made mental notes to retrieve a copy of a rabies certificate for one of the race team members from her computer.

Lance, with Tonya, inhales lunch with friends

Lance is one of those irrepressible personalities that is always on the verge of a move.   If you follow his race videos on the “Insider” and note his quick purposeful movements around his dogs, you will see exactly what Lance is like at lunch.   Lunch is congenial, but Lance will be speed reading the sports page, inhaling a huge bowl of oatmeal, at the same time offering his opinions as it seems that everyone naturally wants to know what he’s thinking. 

Conversationally, Mackey is one of those rare people who is incredibly interesting.  In writing the book, I used to joke with Tonya that I could hardly wait to start the next chapter as I soon found that my questions, which assumed that we already knew the answer, were completely turned upside down.  “I have no idea what will come out of Lance’s mind,” I remember telling Tonya, who was busy organizing and obtaining photos to illustrate the text.

Generally, a conversation is never lopsided.  Given his own way, he would prefer to ask anyone that can answer, the condition of the trail, what’s the weather, but he regularly is bombed with questions from all directions.  It’s no wonder, that many of his fans believe his future after mushing is secured as a radio talk personality.

When he’s done, there is no relaxing moment to savor the last bite.  Lance is up, walking quicky, and undoubtedly aiming his attention towards the truck to check on his dogs. 

Lance comments on his good friend Hugh Neff’s win at the Yukon Quest

Lance and his good friend, Hugh Neff, have been included in the list of top ten Iditarod contenders by my all star panel of mushing advisors (more on this panel to include retired champs Doug Swingley, Dean Osmar and this years Honorary Musher, Dave Olson in a coming article.)

Asked about Hughs recent victory in the Yukon Quest, the 1000 mile race from Fairbanks to Whitehorse,  “My good friend Hugh Neff is like a brother to me, a really tough guy.  He deserved everything he got by hard work.  Hugh was always good at following the leaders, but was always asking, “What’s Lance doing, What’s John Baker doing”

Now he’s asking—what should Hugh Neff do?  This is a really big step, once you learn how to do it, and makes you a true competitor.”

Final thought 

Asked about his team, “They are a young team.  I am being very careful, being sure to teach them how to race, letting then understand the long runs.”