Klondike 300 Race Post-Race Summary

January 26, 2002

Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team--Tyrell Seavey

Dogs know when they are racing.  The presence of other teams and the excitement in the air is contagious.

            We had an awesome time at the Klondike 300.  What a learning experience!  I drew bib #11 so I was the last musher to leave the starting line in this abnormally small field of competitors.  My dad drew out #3 and by the time we ran the 12 miles to the restart (the Klondike 300 has a ceremonial leg similar to the Iditarod), Dad had moved up to first and I was in tenth. 

The first leg of the race was 84 miles long, and ran from the Tug Bar near Big Lake to the Skwentna Roadhouse.  We had a lot of trouble keeping the booties on the dogs’ feet in the conditions, which were wet and slushy, so we had to stop frequently and replace the booties that were freezing or falling off.  Even with these setbacks we still were first and second into the checkpoint. 

At each of the three stops along the race course, the race rules required a six-hour rest, but we decided to increase our rest at Skwentna to an eight-hour stop.  Taking the extra rest was a good thing because the next stretch was difficult. 

Rough trail conditions mean that mushers must slow their teams to ensure a safe run.  Additionally, the dogs must work harder to pull the sled over obstacles like shown above.

The 65 miles to the Forks Roadhouse were icy and hilly, which made the sleds drag extra-hard, but we still made good time.  Again, I took more than the mandatory rest at the Forks, too.  I could start to see how the other competitors were shaping up and I could tell I was the second strongest team, so I decided the rest would do my dogs a lot of good and likely not hurt my standing in the race.

I left the Forks just before 10:00p.m., and since I was going to run through the night, I took a couple of natural energy pills to help me stay awake.  By the second night of a 300-mile race, the driver is usually drowsy and falling asleep on the runners, but not this rookie!--I was wired.  Maybe it was because of the pills, or maybe just because I was excited, but whatever the reason, I was wide awake the whole seven hours on that run.  The temperature had dropped down to –25F, so I was piling on the extra gear and occasionally stopping and jogging up to my lead dogs and back to warm up.  When I pulled into the Yentna checkpoint at 4:45a.m. I found my dad just heading into the lodge for a nap (he had been gaining the whole way around and was now a little over an hour ahead of me).  We discussed my different options and decided that I would be better served to keep on taking extra rest.  I had the “C” team, and it was important to keep their speed up by giving them a little extra rest.

So, after a seven and a half hour rest, I departed the last checkpoint in second place with all ten of the dogs I had started with, and I had almost an hour cushion on the next competitor—so I thought. 

I had just pulled my dogs onto the Yentna River and we were moving at an easy, mile-eating trot enjoying the scenery when I happened to look back and notice a team about one hundred yards astern and closing, so much for the view.  I recognized the musher as Peter Bartlett.  He wasn’t supposed to be finished with his mandatory six-hour rest until 1:05p.m. and here it was 12:15 and he was right behind me!

I didn’t know why he had left so soon, but I certainly wasn’t going to stop and ask him, so I got my ski pole out and started helping the dogs out.  I really enjoy a race to the finish so it was fun to have him keeping up with me.  I had been out-running him on all of the stretches before so I wasn’t really concerned as long as the dogs kept running smoothly.  They did, and by the time I reached the finish line, I had gained another twenty minutes on him to finish second in my first professional event.  I was really happy with the dogs’ performance and very pleased to finish with all ten of them.

The volunteers did an outstanding job on this race and I would like to thank all the checkers, vets, officials and lodge owners along the race route.

Tyrell Seavey
Sterling, Alaska

More information about racers in the Klondike 300 can be found at musher Bill Borden's website:  www.cooldreams.org

© 2002 Ultimate Iditarod, Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs, Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team
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