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At the beginning, thousands of fans cheer for their favorite
squads. The players howl and scream in excitement. The coaches are an
omniscient presence and a steady reminder of the team's ultimate goal:
tournament victory. There will be upsets. There will be injuries. The path to
glory is arduous. People in offices will set up brackets. Fortunes and
reputations are at stake.
 I'm talking of course, about The Iditarod Sled Dog Race, the
winner of which will be crossing the finish line sometime today (3/14/2012,
depending on where you're reading this).
Wait, what did you think I meant? OH… Jeez, basketball?
Sorry. Well, keep reading then? I promise there are plenty of cute dog pictures
ahead.
 See, we're off to a great start!...via everblue
...via Wikimedia
The Iditarod is a 1,049 mile Alaskan dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome. The
race is in tribute to the 1925 serum run to Nome, where several teams of
mushers relayed valuable diphtheria antitoxin through 700 miles of Alaskan
wilderness. Children of Nome's Native American population were suffering
through the epidemic and blizzard conditions meant the serum had to be mushed.
The story was turned into a children's film with talking animals (because, ya see, that was the rage in the 1990s) called "Balto." Balto was one of the storyline performers
and is honored with a statue in New York's Central Park, as well as being
stuffed in Cleveland's Museum of Natural History.
 
Yes, even heroes look creepy when stuffed...via Big Apple
Today's Iditarod features a unique cross section of
physiology, technology, endurance, skill, and well… you know…madness.
The Athletes
It might feel funny to identify dogs as athletes, but they
are in this instance nothing short of such.
Like any athlete, not every dog is qualified to compete, nor
play every position. Dog breeds are generally a type of husky or Eskimo dog and
are crossbred to with other hearty breeds to produce strong, agile dogs.  These breeds have adapted anatomy that helps
them survive. Almond-shaped eyes allow the dogs a wider range of vision when
squinting in wind. Fur extends into the ear canal for these breeds, helping
keep their heads warmer. These breeds also have two types of fur: an under coat
of short insulating fur, and an overcoat that acts as wind and water
resistance. A bushy tail gets draped over the dog's nose to keep warm while
sleeping. Finally, large, hairy feet help keep toes warmer and gain traction,
though this is often supplemented with dog booties.
This husky/German shepherd mix is...well, freaking cute. ...via Daily Puppy
There are four positions a dog can play in sled dog team.
The lead dog has the best relationship with the musher and directs the rest of
the team to his command. While the lead dog or dogs are responsible for
steering, the point dogs are actually responsible for the turning and need to
have a good sense of direction. In the middle of the dog pack are team dogs,
and though they are least valuable, they provide the actual horsepower.
Finally, the last dogs in the pack are the ones just before the sled are the
wheel dogs. These are the strongest dogs and can provide the muscle to un-wedge
a stuck sled.
We've
heard a lot of about performance enhancing drugs in recent years in baseball
and football, but it's interesting to see that the dogs get the same drug tests
that professional athletes receive.
The dogs also receive top-notch veterinary care at each checkpoint, and are implanted with a microchip that indicates the
dog's owner, medical history and other details. This chip has now become
prominent in pet owners.
Finally,
I'm not here to argue the ethical debate of the work of the dogs, but here is a clip on the conditions the dogs face.
The Coaches
Like the coach yelling into the paint from the sidelines, these
individuals are only there  to encourage and direct the efforts of his athletes
err-dogs, as it were. Yet the mushers are also considerably equipped.
...via Cry of the Hawk
Using GPS positioning systems, mushers direct the sled to
its destination. Spectators supposedly use this information to track and keep
tabs on their favorite mushers, but something tells me non one does
(admittedly, it's my cynicism).To stay warm, mushers wear parkas or anoraks,
which are a type of extreme weather coat. Its outer shell is made of uncoated
nylon, the same material of the dog booties, which dries easily but is strong
and lightweight. Its insulation is made of lamilite, a type of polyester fiber,
which maintains insulation while wet and has a high compression rate. The coat
may have a fur ruff around the hood, which blocks wind and snow. Gloves are
typically also made of polyester fiber, but have elk hide coverings.
 ...via Midnight Mushing
Mushers are also responsible for their considerable amount
of equipment, namely their sleds and apparel.
The harnesses for the dogs are rated for up to a ton of
force and are made of nylon webbing and fleece for padding. The average harness
weighs just about a half a pound, so most of the towing will be the weight of
the musher. The sleds themselves are usually of anodized aluminum, keeping the
sled lightweight but also sturdy. This includes the sled's runners which are
the part of the sled sliding on the ground. The  musher has no control over sled
speed or direction, but can stop the sled using a snow hook. The driver kicks
the snow hook from the rear of the sled which anchors itself to the ice,
stopping the sled.
...via Bewe Sleds
Personally, I can't wait to have all my friends over for the big finish. It's my annual Iditarod party. I know my bracket was busted back
after the first round, but I'm more of a fan than a gambler. In the end, the
Iditarod is more about the experience and endurance than any winnings. The last
racer to finish receives the Red Lantern Award after the tradition of hanging a
red lantern when welcoming a dog team with cargo.
And while golf has its green jacket, I've always been more
of a fan of the golden harness, awarded to the lead dog of the winning team.
...via Peter the Vet
Resources
Nooksack Racing
Bewe Sleds
Midnight Mushing
Iditarod
Dog Channel - Siberian Huskies
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