Matson are SP Kennel’s biggest sponsor and have been on board for more than 15 years. As you heard in last night’s speech, Aliy is proud to stand beside them and they, her.
Today we visited the office at the Port of Anchorage to meet the team informally and chat about the race and the dogs. A photobooth was set up for employees and their families to get photos with Aliy, Allen and a variety of dogs – it was so fun!
We started off bringing the “tried and true” social dogs: Junior, Kodiak and Dutch into the offices. Matson has an association with Kodiak and Dutch’s names – Aliy and Allen rode on Matson’s ship The Kodiak and visited Dutch Harbor. Soon after that visit, Olivia had puppies so Kodiak and Dutch were named!
We then brought media darling, Violet into the frame and she won a lot of hearts with her sweet nature. Then, just to mix it up completely we brought Jefe, Cloud and Decaf in. Well, let’s just say it was very good for them to socialise with people, they had fun but did cause a little chaos.
Here are a few pics from the visit.
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We were very lucky to then have a visit from Jeff Schultz, Official Iditarod Photographer at the hotel to photograph and interview Aliy, Spark and Five for his “Faces of Iditarod” project. You can check out this amazing project at this link. If you click on the picture you can read and hear about each picture. This is the project that Karolyn featured in last year with her Nome hotdog while we were waiting for Aliy and team to finish. Keep checking back to the project during the race as Jeff travels down the trail photographing dogs, mushers, volunteers and officials. You can also see a Facebook Live stream from the visit on Jeff’s page.
Iditarod Thursday is always a bunch of fun! First things first, however, is the most important task of driving the dogs down the Parks Highway from the kennel to Anchorage. Thanks to Karolyn and Ryan our 16 athletes made it safely to the hotel. It’s always a little tense until they arrive so we are happy they are here.
As soon as they arrived they all ate a big meal, relieved themselves and got to stretch their legs around the car park for a while. They are all pumped up and ready to run but have a couple days to wait first.
They stopped along the way for a quick, scenic pee break.
Bruno enjoying the view
Late afternoon was the Musher Meet and Greet and the lines snaked around the room and out the door. Aliy was pleased to meet everyone from all over the states and international visitors. Thank you for all your well wishes, support, prayers, good vibes and gifts! Here are a few pics from the event.
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After the Meet and Greet everyone moved downstairs in the Dena’ina Centre for the Bib Draw and Musher Banquet. A packed programme included speeches from dignitaries and sponsors, awards, live auctions, and music by Hobo Jim – would it even be the Iditarod without Hobo Jim? Then came the bit we were all there for – the mushers drew their bib numbers. Aliy and her team will wear bib 23.
Here’s Aliy’s speech: hear which dogs Aliy feels most sorry for during this year’s Iditarod.
And a few pics from the event.
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As I write, the dogs are out of the truck again having another walk around and enjoying bed time snacks. They’ll get a good sleep and up early in the morning for breakfast and to check out the new smells overnight.
Not every Iditarod dog musher finds choosing their final 14 racers an emotionally draining decision, but I’ll be honest… I do.
Only 14. Only 14 of my best buddies who have all trained, pulled and run many miles this season will make the final team that gets to experience the adventure of a lifetime. They get to travel new trails, smell amazing scents, lift their legs on infinite bushes and see the amazing Arctic world. They don’t know what’s going to happen out there (neither do I) but, by golly they are excited to go.
The 30 SP Kennel Racers are standing here in Two Rivers ready: chests puffed out and howling: “Pick Me! Pick Me!” It’s like asking your Labrador retriever, “Do you want to go for a car ride?” Duh!?! As your Lab stands there drooling on the floor, “Open the car door… OHHHHHHH! Open the door!”
So how can I possible choose 14 dogs from a pool of 30 who want to go?
First of all, I look at any dogs that have small bumps and bruises that might become large if they were asked to race 1,000 miles. Sadly, I do have a five dogs that are benched.
Commando finished the Yukon Quest in style but came home with a sore wrist. Since then he has run only one short fun run. He has been pouting and I try not to look at him when I harness up a team. I am sad to say he is heartbroken. He loves to race.
Clyde also came off the Yukon Quest with a soreness. Strangely, only his paws were sore – the rest of him looks GREAT. But the sugar snow conditions seemed to have dried out the webbing between his pads. No one wants to run with sensitive feet. Foot ointment and salve will solve this issue, but not in time to race Iditarod 2020.
Commando
Clyde
Gold has a coin-sized bruise on his paw pad. It might have started as a small blister on the YQ300, but I only noticed it when he favored his foot after a 45 minutes stretch out run. Obviously Gold can’t run on a bruised pad. This would have been his first Iditarod.
Champ continues to has sensitive ‘manly parts’ in chilly temps. I think I have learned my lesson: when Champ goes on a race the temperatures drop to -40F (or colder). So the big, sexy black boy will sit this Iditarod out.
Gold
Champ
The big one – that really breaks my heart – is my one and only, Mismo. If you have been following the SPK season then you know that he drug Karolyn and the YQ300 team up over Rosebud, up Eagle Summit and down Birch Creek (twice) and looked no worse for the wear. After that he trained with the main Iditarod team, went to Blood Draws and EKGs (and passed) and then was in lead two days ago on a 100 mile training run. We always do a long training run exactly one week before the race starts so that we simulate race conditions. He looked 100% for the 100 miles. I was thrilled. The next morning he was standing awkwardly on his wrist. Darn it if he didn’t somehow twist his wrist either at the end of the run or after the run. So, at this moment… only 5 days before the start… it looks like Mismo will not be on my team.
Mismo
There are two main racers that were benched earlier in the season: Driver and Nomex. Both dogs are currently 100% healthy. They are delighted to be running again as both will vocally share at harness time. But, I’ll be honest, both dogs have sat out enough time and training miles that they cannot realistically keep up with a race team that expects to do 100 miles a day. Driver has only 45% of the seasonal miles that his sister, Chipper, has at this time. I am truly disappointed that neither of these Rock-Stars will be on the team this year. I will miss them lots.
Driver
Nomex
Next I look an individual dog’s overall fitness in comparison to the team they will be running on. It is best if teammates match as much as possible, so that one dog is not a lot slower or not able to stay strong through longer miles. They also need to rest well and eat well. What is their body weight now and what has it been when they were at their most fit? In order to look at this data in depth, I look at my detailed training log that I keep throughout the season. Who did what distance training run at what speed and endurance? And how did they do? How much do they weigh now as well as earlier in the season? Who continues to eat well?
The most fit dogs are, without a doubt, the dogs that just completed the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest. What about the dogs that finished the 300 mile YQ? How do they compare? And what about the Copper Basin 300 dogs?
While Bronze did in fact come to the finish line of the YQ300, she did so in the sled bag. She only rode for a short distance, but she was tired. She even fell asleep. Bronze needs to finish strong in a 300 mile race before she will be part of my Iditarod team.
Cayenne is Cayenne. It’s hard not to root for her. She a sassy little punk. I was surprised to hear that Karolyn actually carried her in her sled bag on the YQ300 as well. Did her leg cramp? Was she tired? Or did she just like riding in the cozy bag? I don’t know the answer to those questions. The other mark against her is that she is a picky eater. She is on the slender side. Cayenne will not be on the team.
Bronze
Cayenne
Peach also finished the YQ300. She enjoyed her race and will be ready to run more… in the future. The major issue that Peach has, is that she does not rest well. I kept watch on Karolyn’s team in the YQ300 Checkpoints and Peach would stay awake, sitting up, watching all of the exciting commotion around her. Sometimes falling asleep while sitting up. (Then toppling over.) She went on the 100 mile training run a few days ago and during my 2 hour rest stop, she sat up and watched the wind rush through the nearby bushes for almost 2 hours. While this is adorable… it does not make her rise to the top of my “should go on Iditarod 2020” list.
Sanka is one of my favorites. She started the racing season strong. She did well on the CB300 and then had a strong YQ300. But she went through a phase between the two races when she seemed tired and ‘out of sorts.’ The only way to get her out of her funk was to take her out on short runs with a small teams and just have fun. Sometimes we all need to put a little fun in our lives again in order to get back after it. Well, I feel like that’s what Sanka needs again now. I don’t think she would enjoy the 1,000 mile race. I don’t want a dog out there with me who doesn’t want to be there. So she will stay at the kennel and do fun runs with the rest of the crew.
Peach
Sanka
The remaining 19 dogs are ready to race Iditarod 2020. I turned in my Official Iditarod 20 Dog Selection MicroChip Sheet (I added Mismo at #20… just in case a miracle happens.)
But… “Ready to Race”… what does that mean this year? What type of snow conditions, race course hurdles and weather predicaments will we find ourselves in? Deep snow, wind, drifting trail? Now I must make my best guess about which dogs are best suited to race with me on Iditarod 2020 in these particular conditions? As of today, there are still 19 dogs of which I will choose my 14 teammates. I have two more training runs and the Ceremonial 11-mile run through Downtown Anchorage in order to make my final selection.
In only a few days Aliy and her 14 team mates will be out on the Iditarod trail heading towards Nome. There is a bunch of stuff for them to do before that happens.
Wednesday
Wednesday is the final run for the team, they will head out for a short stretch out before their adventure really starts. Aliy, Allen, Doug and Moira head to Anchorage after that to attend a sponsor function on Wednesday night.
Thursday
Karolyn and Ryan will drive 16 athletes down to Anchorage in Hollywood on Thursday. They’ll stop along the way for the team look at the scenery (and perhaps do their ablutions), then arrive in time for a meal and walk around before the humans head to the banquet. They’ll get out of the truck later on for more snacks and walks before bed.
Aliy will attend musher meetings on Thursday morning. The mushers meet the officials and vet crews and hear about the trail and other logistics for the race. It’s also the first time many of them will see each other since this time last year, or meet some of the rookies for the first time.
Thursday afternoon/evening the humans head to the Denina centre for the Musher Meet and Greet then the start banquet and bib draw. This will be where Aliy will draw her start bib number and we’ll know what time the team will leave the start chute on Saturday in downtown Anchorage and then on Sunday in Willow.
This year the Iditarod’s poster is of Aliy’s team on the Norton Sound near the Koyuk checkpoint in 2018. It’s a spectacular shot by Jeff Schultz (as are all of his images). This will be available to everyone coming to the Meet and Greet so make sure you pick one up if you are coming! (Note: These are not available by post)
Friday
Friday is something of a down day for the dogs – they will eat and rest and walk around. They’ll also get their race tags which is kind of a big deal. It’s a fairly quiet day for the humans also.
Saturday
Saturday is Funday (I know that doesn’t rhyme but I couldn’t think of an appropriate phrase. Any ideas? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll use the best one on Saturday night when I update you on the festivities).
The Ceremonial Start kicks off on 4th Avenue in Downtown Anchorage at 10am. Thousands of spectators, fans and supporters line the streets in a celebration of the amazing dogs and this wonderful event. The teams mush about 11 miles through streets and trails, ending at Campbell Creek airstrip. Aliy will have her Idita-rider in her sled and Allen will ride the tag sled.
If you are in Anchorage on Saturday stop by the truck to say ‘Hi’.
We will let you know the roster for the 12 dog team for the Ceremonial Start on Saturday morning.
Sunday
Sunday is all business. As fun as Thursday evening and Saturday are when we get to meet so many fans and supporters, Saturday night and Sunday are when Aliy enters race mode. Sunday morning we travel in convoy to Willow Lake and ready the team for their grand adventure to Nome. The re-start in Willow kicks off at 2pm.
We will let you know the final race roster for the 14 dog team to Nome on Sunday morning. Note: we are bringing 16 down to Anchorage so the final make up may be different to the Ceremonial Start team from Saturday.
Coverage Guide
We have SP Kennel focused coverage right here, also on our Facebook page and Instagram. We may have some Twitter activity also, can’t promise anything though. We will write a morning and evening update, then if anything significant happens during the day we’ll do extra posts, particularly near the end of the race.
If you can, we do recommend getting an Insider subscription to follow the GPS and videos from the trail. We will try to update you all but the GPS will keep you up-to-the-minute. We check the current standings frequently also, although that doesn’t show the full picture and mushers often rest outside of checkpoints. The Iditarod Facebook page will have some content as well as their Instagram and Twitter. Their website has lots of useful information including blogs from several people following the race with different perspectives, maps, history and some great resources for classrooms. It is worth taking a look around.
Local TV news channels and media will also be covering the race with reporters travelling the trail to bring us stories and news. I’ll link stories when I can. There are a bunch of Iditarod forums on Facebook, there are so many so I won’t link but you can take a look and find one that you like.
We’re looking forward to getting our team out on the trail and following along with you all. Go team!
As the SP Kennel continues to digest, analyze and recover from the Yukon Quest, as well as prep, strategize and get psyched for the Iditarod, we took the three yearlings on their first race.
CONGRATS: Bill, Gravy and Wu! The boys completed their first race. It was the Two Rivers Bun Run. The race started Saturday at Pleasant Valley Store at 11AM. The course predominantly followed Chena Hot Springs Road heading west – crossing it once – and finished at 10 Mile CHSR @ Larae’s Coffee Shop. A big ‘Shout Out’ to the Start and Finish Line businesses. Many, many thanks.
The Bun Run was a heap of fun. Nomex and Cayenne were in lead, with Sanka and Kenobi (Karolyn’s Siberian Husky), Driver and Habibi (Karolyn’s Alaskan Husky), Bronze and Gravy and bringing up the rear were Bill and Wu. This was both Nomex and Driver’s first race of the season as well. It was good to see the veterans mixed in with the rookies.
Wu
Gravy
Bill
Karolyn mushed the team on the 20 mile course. The Bun Run was a passenger race and luckily, Ryan was game to be the SPK ballast for the day. It was a little chilly for sitting in a sled for two plus hours, but thank goodness there was a hot cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun for him at the finish line.
Congrats to the dogs, the mushers and the ballast. It was both a fun and pretty day in Two Rivers. Thanks to Padee for getting us photos and video footage – she had to be fast to catch that speedy youthful team!
The 2 weeks prior to Iditarod are nail biters. These are the weeks that you cross your fingers, toes, paws or whatever appendage you have nearby and then you hope that all your dogs maintain their health, fitness and energy.
I’m overly sensitive to the sounds of anyone coughing, or broken toenails or even small pad rubs. I want to just lock everyone up in the living room on a Thermarest dog bed and not let them even run around the yard. But, alas that would help none of us. We are about to run 1,000 miles, none of us better go cold turkey 10 days out.
But I will admit that every training run we go on, I find myself hoping that no one steps in a moose hole, trips over a log in the trail or slips on an icy spot. There will be plenty of hazards on the race so we desperately try to avoid hiccups on our own home training trails.
Earlier this week we had Dr Tamara Rose out at SP Kennel to examine all my race candidates. This was my dogs’ final veterinary exams before the race begins. She commented on a few dog issues – minor ’this and thats’ and we consulted on several dogs in depth – then everyone passed their physical exams and are deemed healthy to race. We now have a pool of 20 dogs to choose our 14-dog team.
All of this Pre Race Vet Exam paperwork (with each dog identified by name, age, gender and microchip number) must be submitted to Iditarod Headquarters along with a verification of deworming certificate.
Dr T Rose, Razz and Aliy talk about leg muscles.
After this full body Vet exam, the dogs have two more hurdles to jump before they are approved to race the Iditarod. First they must have their blood chemistry analyzed. Two vials of blood are taken from each dog and sent to Providence Hospital in Anchorage. They will do a full blood panel analysis on each dog. The results help can find infections, liver issues, possible ulcer candidates and other health issues.
Five gets his blood drawn.
The last hurdle is that each dog will have to leap is to pass an EKG – Electro Cardiogram Exam. In other words, the Veterinarians will record each dogs’ regular heart beat and then analyze this recording for potential anomalies of the heart.
Only after all of these tests are done and passed, can a dog compete in the Iditarod.
QT is hooked up to the EKG wires. If you think I don’t STRESS about all this – look at my eyes – and think again!
Today, we loaded up the 20 race candidates and drove them into Fairbanks to their Iditarod EKGs and Blood draw appointment.Blood draw day is stressful simply because … it’s blood draw! Who gets happy about needles?
But the Iditarod Veterinary Technicians are so talented and professional that besides that one needle poke, the rest of the experience is delightful. The EKG ‘Cuddle Table’ along with all the pets, hugs and kisses makes the experience positive.
Chipper is on the Cuddle EKG table.
We also bring our yearling class to blood draw day. Thats right, Bill, Wu and Gravy, got their very first ‘Iditarod’ experience today without doing the 1,000 miles. Each youngster rode in the dog truck (they have been going on short rides for the past two weeks but this time they really got to go somewhere), got their blood drawn, hung out in the room with really friendly people, lay on the EKG table… patiently… and then came home several hours later. All Iditarod dogs must be identified with a microchip (many pet worldwide have microchips as well). Bill, Wu and Gravy also got their microchips today.
Wu wants to come in and get his blood drawn
NOTE: Bill had a minor panic on the EKG table and needed a pee tepee. Don’t know what that is? Use your imagination and think about a baby boy being “uncovered” and having to wee. Yup! Tinkle stream everywhere. Sorry Tabitha.
I met Donna Dewhurst in 1990 in King Salmon, Alaska … a lifetime ago. Over the past 30 years she has become one of the best photographers in our great state. She has now retired from US Fish and Wildlife and decided to try her hand at writing as well. The combination of her photos and words can be seen in the March issue of Alaska Magazine in an article called ‘Born to Run’. The article spotlights three generations of SP Kennel dogs: from 13 year old Nacho, 6 year old Violet and 1 year old Gravy.
Let’s keep celebrating the 2020 Yukon Quest! We’ve done a final YQ themed Dog Fan Club Draw.
Congratulations to Besty Warner who is a fan of Scooby. Betsy wins a packet of the now-famous SP Kennel M&M’s and this awesome T-shirt from Downtown Hotel in Dawson City, plus a glam shot of Scooby and some other kennel goodies.
Scooby
Scooby just completed his rookie Yukon Quest 1000 race and crossed the line with a wagging tail and smile on his face. Scooby was teetering on the edge of great success last season and we were delighted he made the Quest team this year. Onwards and upwards Scooby-doo!
To find out more about our athletes look at the “Dogs” page. To join the Dog Fan Club you can hit the “Become a Dog Fan” tab at the top of the page or click here. We will have a Fan Club Draws throughout the Iditarod and to end the season.
NOTE: to receive the fan club postcard from Nome you need to be a Dog Fan Club member by 1st March so join up now!
Earlier this week we had Dr Tamara Rose out at SP Kennel to examine all my race candidates. This was my dogs’ final veterinary exams before the race begins. She commented on a few dog issues – minor ’this and thats’ and we consulted on several dogs in depth – then everyone passed their physical exams and are deemed healthy to race. We now have a pool of 20 dogs to choose our 14-dog team.
