In case you were unaware, this past Sunday marked the beginning of one of the best times of my year. It is a time when I am able to witness some of the greatest teamwork on the face of this earth for two straight weeks. The Iditarod, known as the world’s “Last Great Race”, is a grueling 1000 mile dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome in which the relationship between the dog team and musher (human racer) must be at its best. In the Alaskan conditions that surround this race, each team must be in perfect harmony in order to not only complete the race but survive it.
The Iditarod exemplifies so many lessons that we as team members can learn from. For starters, each dog has a specific job that they are needed for; the lead dog is often times the brains and the bravery whereas the dogs right in the back are the power. We can also learn about trust when you reflect on the fact that mushers will often times put their lives totally in the hands (or paws) of their dogs. Many stories have been told about total whiteouts where the musher can do nothing but trust that his or her dogs know where they’re going and believe in their abilities. Another lesson might come from looking at the dedication and perseverance it takes to complete a 1000 mile race in Alaskan conditions. All of these concepts can be transferable to what we find most important in our lives. What are we trained to do? What kind of trust do the people around us put on our shoulders? What kind of perseverance and dedication does it take to be at the top of our game?
The Iditarod exemplifies so many lessons that we as team members can learn from. For starters, each dog has a specific job that they are needed for; the lead dog is often times the brains and the bravery whereas the dogs right in the back are the power. We can also learn about trust when you reflect on the fact that mushers will often times put their lives totally in the hands (or paws) of their dogs. Many stories have been told about total whiteouts where the musher can do nothing but trust that his or her dogs know where they’re going and believe in their abilities. Another lesson might come from looking at the dedication and perseverance it takes to complete a 1000 mile race in Alaskan conditions. All of these concepts can be transferable to what we find most important in our lives. What are we trained to do? What kind of trust do the people around us put on our shoulders? What kind of perseverance and dedication does it take to be at the top of our game?
Who am I routing for?
Lance Mackey: 2nd generation musher and cancer survivor going for an unprecedented 5th straight win
The better question is who are you routing for?
I encourage everyone to check out the race’s website at http://www.iditarod.com/ and follow the magic that is present in this great race. There are many great subplots within the race and you might be surprised at how much you can learn about yourself through these amazing dog teams.
-Tyler
Lance Mackey: 2nd generation musher and cancer survivor going for an unprecedented 5th straight win
The better question is who are you routing for?
I encourage everyone to check out the race’s website at http://www.iditarod.com/ and follow the magic that is present in this great race. There are many great subplots within the race and you might be surprised at how much you can learn about yourself through these amazing dog teams.
-Tyler
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