And they’re off: Iditarod teams start their 1,000-mile dash to Nome

Iditarod rookie Jed Stephensen mentioned he was making an attempt to have “solely little ideas” as he packed his closing gadgets in his sled in Willow.

“Little ideas, like simply getting down the path and stopping in about 50 miles and leaving it at that,” mentioned Stephensen of Sand Level, Idaho, “and never pondering of a thousand (miles) as a result of that may crush my soul if I thought of that too lengthy.”

He labored at pondering small as he waited for the beginning.

“No large ideas,” he mentioned. “Large ideas are dangerous ideas.”

The solar was shining on him and 32 different mushers on the official begin of the Iditarod Path Sled Canine Race, which went off with out a hitch Sunday afternoon.

Whereas Stephensen was working at calming his nerves, defending champ Brent Sass appeared to have nerves of metal. Sass was cool as a cucumber, giving information interviews whereas hugging the youngest member of his workforce.

“That is Marty. That is going to be his first Iditarod. He’s the son of my foremost chief, my Golden Harness winner final 12 months, Morello, who’s retired, so he’s taking her spot this 12 months,” Sass mentioned. “He’s younger, energetic and has no thought what he’s getting himself into proper now, however he’s able to go. It’s fairly enjoyable.”

The crowds have been thick on frozen Willow Lake, making a chute of cheering followers. Extra chutes shaped on subsequent lakes.

2010 Iditarod musher Kathleen Frederick watched the race from Lengthy Lake. She was desperate to see Wade Marrs, her neighbor who has leased and bought canine from her kennel. 

“There was one woman he ran when she was two,” Frederick mentioned. “She’s now 4, and I’m fairly certain she’s on his workforce.”

Simply then Marrs got here via, high-fiving kids and accepting sweet bars from outstretched palms.

“Hey neighbor!” Frederick shouted.

“Hey Kathleen!” Marrs responded, after which he was off, down the path towards extra excessive fives and extra outstretched palms holding sweet, for a couple of miles extra.

From Willow, groups have 42 miles to the primary race checkpoint at Yentna Station. 

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