Every February, four dozen athletes are invited to Alaska to undertake a journey which will challenge their bodies and minds, their wills to succeed, and their wills to live. The Iditarod Trail Invitational is the worlds longest, toughest and most remote ultra marathon, challenging competitors to journey 1000 miles across the Alaskan tundra on bike, foot, or ski. More people summit Everest in an afternoon than have made it from Anchorage to Nome on a bicycle. But this year twenty-six racers will attempt the full 1000 miles of the Iditarod Trail. The fastest time recorded is 12 days. The longest is more than 30. It’s the unknowns that bring these elite athletes here year after year in search of purpose and excitement, but it’s those same unknowns that make this one of the most dangerous races on Earth. How willing are you to lose your toes, or your hands, or someone you love. That’s the consequence of not being prepared on the Iditarod Trail.
Jonathan Hunwick
