After months of intense training, planning, logistics, gear purchasing, gear customizing, and packing, it was finally time to travel to Alaska to compete in the 1000mi Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI).
“One of the most challenging experiences on the planet, participants brave extreme physical, environmental and mental challenges as they travel along the historic Iditarod Trail on bicycle, foot or skis. Requiring self-sufficiency and the considerable resilience to make it through up to 30 frozen days and nights, the Iditarod Trail Invitational has built its reputation on notoriously inhospitable conditions and minimal outside support.” https://itialaska.com
The next few days were spent with last-minute shopping, race check-in, frantic loading and unloading of the pulk, last-minute decisions on how many nuts to pack, what gloves may not be needed, how much fuel to load for the first 350mi, and whether two or three pairs of underwear will be enough for the 1000mi journey to Nome. It turns out two pairs are plenty.
There was also still a lot of work to be completed, a grant proposal to be finished, papers to be reviewed, students to be mentored, lectures to be recorded, and a never-ending stream of e-mails to be answered.
The route.
That’s only the tip of the package berg.
Ready go fly!
I arrived in Anchorage before midnight.
Going to my church.
Athlete photo taking.
Athlete check-in.
Swag!
How will this ever fit into the pulk?!