Glad To Be Training Once Again
October 4, 2002

Jim Gallea, Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs & Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team

Rainy, a 2-year-old dog being trained by Jim Gallea and Tyrell Seavey, is literally "chomping at the bit" to get going.

After having such a great time in the 2002 Iditarod, the thought of having to sit on the sidelines for the 2003 race really didn't appeal to me.  But as luck would have it, the Seavey family offered me a wonderful position that promised to keep me off the bench and "out in the field" for the 2003 racing season.  Their offer was definitely too good to pass up, and now I am living in Sterling, Alaska, having decided to give college a one-year break before returning for my last two semesters next fall.  

Tyrell Seavey and I are working together to train nearly 60 inexperienced young dogs (mostly 2-year-olds).  For me, this is the second time I have trained inexperienced dogs for the Iditarod--my first being four years ago when I ran my first Iditarod.  I'm looking forward to running young dogs again.  The experience is very challenging, but also very rewarding.  The dogs that you start training in the fall are completely transformed by the time they reach Nome, and that's due in part to the human in the back of the team.   Additionally, running a "puppy team" mean that you train and race at a slower pace, so you have a bit more time to enjoy the scenery and get some sleep!

Tyrell Seavey training a team near Sterling, Alaska.  Mozart, the lead dog on the right side, is just 2 years old.  He is learning by running with Sarah, an 8-year-old veteran.

This year, our goal is to field two teams in the Iditarod from this pool of dogs.  Tyrell will drive one of these teams in what will be his first Iditarod, and I will drive the other in my third appearance in the race.  As Tyrell mentioned in his first update, the "pups" are doing wonderfully, and we are very excited to see what they can do.  At this point in the training, we are focusing on building strength and toughness.  The speed and the endurance will come later.  

While we train, we are really concentrating on how each dog works and moves.  We want to learn everything we can about each dog, and we want to begin to build the familiarity and mutual respect that will be a key to getting us to Nome.  In doing so, we also are looking for the weaknesses in each dog and searching for the best, most physically and mentally tough athletes on the planet.  These are the dogs that have the potential to win the Iditarod as they grow older and more experienced.  

Water puddles offer the dogs a quick way to cool off during the relatively warm weather of fall training.  Soon, the temperatures will be well below freezing all day and all night.

As for the dogs that I ran in the 2002 Iditarod, they are at home back in Montana; but they are far from resting.  My mom, Cindy Gallea, is training them for her fourth Iditarod.  And now that we have seen the amazing potential in that team, the pressure is on for my mom to do even better than I did last year.  I can say in all honesty that I hope she beats me!  

Well, the wind is tearing the last of the leaves from the alder trees, the northern lights are making their first shimmering dance across the sky, and snow is a possibility in tomorrow's weather outlook.  It's good to be spending another winter in Alaska, and it's great to be running an awesome group of dogs with an equally great group of mushers.  It's also good to be sitting at the computer and writing training updates for Ultimate Iditarod.  We're all looking forward to a great season, and we'll keep you posted all the way to Nome.

See you on the trail,
Jim

© 2002 Ultimate Iditarod, Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs, Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team
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Ultimate Iditarod http://www.ultimateiditarod.com  email: dogboy@ultimateiditarod.com