Voices from the Flats – The Iditarod is a Numbers Game
Here’s the second installment of our Voices from the Flats Iditarod Report from LoveMyDogs who is tending the kennel of Iditarod musher Colleen Robertia while she’s busy with other things!
In her piece, she’s referring to Lance Mackey, the current frontrunner and reigning champ; Jeff King, former champ and until recently the frontrunner in this race; and DeeDee Jonrowe, veteran musher and perennial crowd favorite.
It’s getting exciting as the leaders race along the ice of Norton Sound, with Nome getting nearer by the hour…
**************************
NUMBERS
(In honor of yesterday, Pi day 3/14)
by LoveMyDogs
Numbers, numbers, numbers. Following the Iditarod from home is all about watching the numbers. Position number, Bib number, Time In, Time Out, number of dogs coming in, number of dogs going out, rest time, speed. It could be one heck of a math class (and so much more fun than those old word problems that used to drive me bonkers).
How does one know who is really leading? The numbers to watch are speeds travelling from checkpoint to checkpoint. But more than that, how much rest is taken and where? And how many dogs does each musher has.
Of course this does not tell the whole story. It doesn’t tell you if the musher is getting rest. It doesn’t tell you how the dogs are eating. It doesn’t tell you how they are dealing with weather. It doesn’t tell you if a sled is broken. It doesn’t tell you if a musher camped somewhere on the trail to be able to blow through a checkpoint. It doesn’t tell you if a musher is carrying a hurt or tired dog in his sled bag (thus increasing the amount of weight the dogs have to pull without the help of the dog in the bag). Most of all, it doesn’t tell you what kind of head games are being played.
My friend, Lance, is a master of head games. He almost always has a plan. And no one but Lance knows that plan. Best of all, it can change without warning. He always seems to have a Plan A through Z and can adjust easily to changing conditions. Is he messing with Jeff now? Conserving some of his dogs’ energy? Would he rather chase Jeff? Always keeping him in sight? He knows that he might be able to catch him in the hills (after all, he is younger and has longer legs). But what about Jeff? He is wily and has been doing this for a long time (Old age and craftiness beat youth and vigor?). And is it all about Lance and Jeff? Hans Gatt won the Yukon Quest this year. He has talented dogs and has also been at this game for a long time.
Lance has a way of standing and staring at another team and stroking his chin and then making some cocky, one-line quip that could cut a newer musher to the bone and make him second guess himself and his dogs all of the way to the finish line. This is “old-school” mushing and seems brutal at the time, but getting under your opponent’s skin is often times the only weapon you have left in your arsenal.
Then one looks at number of dogs. What information can we glean from this? It is hard to say. DeeDee has been running for hundreds of miles with 8 dogs while the front runners have 12-13. How can she possibly be staying as high in the standings as she is? Well…more math. 8 dogs, 4 feet each, number of booties… 32. 12 dogs, 4 feet each, number of booties…48. The number of food bowls, straw beds, blankets, coats, hours to feed, take care of feet, stretch and massage sore muscles are all increased if you have a bigger team. All of these chores cut into the musher’s rest. So maybe DeeDee is getting more rest.
And remember, you are only as fast as your slowest team member. You can drop dogs, you can’t drop the musher.
There are mushers who like to be in front. There are mushers who like to lie back in wait and reel the front runners in on the last leg. There are mushers like the Smyth brothers who notoriously wear running shoes between Safety and Nome and run the whole way as fast as their dogs can run.
Anything can happen and a lot of it is luck. The weather is a huge factor. Fatigue seems to be the one thing that levels the playing field. I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the less resilience I have when it comes to lack of sleep.
The test of wills continues. Who will win? Keep watching the numbers….
I posted this in LMD’s earlier Voices from the Flats thread:
“After being lost more than four days in sub-zero cold, Whitey-Lance, the 3-year-old dog of Iditarod rookie Justin Savidis, was found late Sunday.”
http://www.adn.com/2010/03/14/1183461/missing-dog-finally-shows-up-in.html
I was so relieved to read this!
Justa: I was happy too. Sled dogs have an amazing way of finding the food bowl when they get hungry. I know that it was quite a hunt though and I would have been going out of my mind with worry. It is GOOD news.
Sen. Grayson goes all out on Palin by calling her “Alaskan Chillbilly”
Great post! And you are so right, lovemydogs, it’s all about the numbers for those of us who aren’t observing up close the mushers, dogs, checkpoint activities, or hearing the stories first hand of who’s doing what to whom, when and where.
The race for first is on! There are two wily leaders out there trying to psyche each other out, and more behind who have dreams of shaking things up just when every one thought they knew who the winners might be. The dogs – well, it’s really all about them and they know it. They might have a smart musher, but if they don’t want to run, they aren’t gonna so there!
Can you give us an update on how many dogs Colleen has? How is Penny doing?
I meant “psych” not “psyche”. Ooops.
MUYS: Reposted from Open Thread:
Colleen is off the river (thank God). Joseph is flying to Unalakleet to meet her there today. I can see him now. Staring down the trail, flapping his hands at his sides like a penguin, hopping from foot to foot. Where is she? Where is she? Where is she?
She has 14 dogs. Had to drop Arrow in Cripple (she is home now, settled in on the couch and looking like she hasn’t run at all). Sore feet was the last I heard. She dropped Crumb in Nulato or Kaltag which is a bummer. Crumb was her “bullet proof” dog (like a little tank and a great cheerleader) but she was off on her gait and Colleen didn’t want to take any chances. Emilie is handling dropped dogs in Unalakleet so Crumb will be in good and loving hands. Penny “the small and mighty” is living up to her reputation.
Joseph said that she and the mushers around her were having a really hard time staying warm on the river. I guess it was -50 degrees and they were getting covered in frost from both their own breath and the breaths of the dogs. Then of course it freezes on your neck gaiter, your breath warms it up and you have water running down your neck and inside your clothes. Brrrrrrrrrrr. I hope it warms up a bit for her on the coast (not too much though-the dogs get sluggish if it is too warm).
Word has it that the trail from Kaltag to Unalakleet was super soft and very slow. She’s out there now.
what a great team, i think Colleen’s team is my favorite but i wish them all the best
Thanks lovemydogs for a great update on Colleen, Penny and the team! Brrrrrrr, now I’m cold just thinking about -50. I’m sorry she had to drop her bullet proof guy – he’s probably a little bummed, too!
Your penguin description of her hubby is pretty funny – but you have to wear so many clothes that whether you flap your arms or not, you look like one! It reminds me of the little brother in “The Christmas Story” where he had on so many layers he couldn’t put his arms down! Joseph must be so proud! And you, too! Running the Quest and the Iditarod – she will always have that to be proud of and I can’t think of any better memories to keep you company in old age!
Looks like Lance Mackey is out in front and heading for the finish. Could happen today, maybe?
Enjoying the race a lot this year.
Thanks lovemydogs for the fascinating reports from the “other side.”
Oops. I meant ‘could happen tomorrow’.
Love My Dogs gave me a cool dream last night with her description on yesterday’s thread of the mushers and their dogs running on a river of ice.
There i was, it was nighttime and there were stars hanging so close it seemed i could reach up and pluck one from the heavens. I and my companions were riding those machines from ‘ Star Wars’ that make virtually no sound and do not touch the ground. it seemed we were far behind the dogs and were trying to catch up but not trying very hard because we didn’t want the ride to ever end. When i woke up this morning the dream was still with me and the pain that usually comes with the morning was simply not there today. I believe the dream was so joyous and pleasant that i let go and went into deep REM sleep where the body is allowed to do it’s work in ridding itself of toxins and repairing damaged nerves and tissues. Thanks LMD.
bubbles–YAY for good dreams that let you heal yourself.
and
lovemydogs–thanks for the updates. I’m keeping track on the race site, but it’s great to have a paws on the ground perspective.
InJuneau – hello!
I was so envious of you being able to track on the website, too – I was boycotting due to the Sarah Twit being there with her stupid commercial. We generated about 20 letters and calls (that I know of) to the Committee expressing dismay at their putting the Queen of Quitters on the main site. I just checked, and viola! The Twit is gone!
I don’t know when, how or why, but I will be writing the Race Supervisor and telling them thank you, I can now be officially an Iditarod fan again! Hooray!
Now, if we could just kick her out of the state for good. Problem is, every time I try and find a good place for her, they don’t want her there, either!
Go mushers! Go dogs!
If readers want to comment to the Race Supervisor or thank them for dumping the Quitter, here is the info for contact:
http://www.iditarod.com/
Email:
Stan Hooley, Executive Director – shooley@iditarod.com
Joanne Potts, Race Director – jpotts@iditarod.com
Chas St. George, Public Relations – cstgeorge@iditarod.com
Anchorage Race Supervisor’s office: 907.248.6874
@LoveMyDogs:
What an incredible story you’ve told.
To tell you the truth, I’ve never followed the Iditarod closely, but because of you I’ve tried to check up on it these last few days.
After watching Lance in the Quest the past few years, I just had a feeling he would do something (i.e., anything he could whup up at the last minute) to get a leg up. It looks like he did that. Lance is one cagey guy. I suspect he won’t make any serious errors, and he’ll keep a close eye on his dogs, now that they’re close to the finish.
It sounds, though, like that one long run had him worried a bit. He probably did take a chance. But then, he knows his dogs and likely knew they could do it.
I was also kind of happy to see Hans Gatt in 2nd place when I checked the site. Hans has been running the Quest for years, and he’s always placed quite well. But for him, this is really great. Maybe the big news will be whether Gatt or King finishes in 2nd place!
THANKS, LMD! You’ve made the Iditarod alive for me!
Best,
YBG
Oh, and LMD –
We ALL want to know what’s going on with Colleen and her team — I think many of us are more interested in that than in who wins the race. So please DO keep us updated, OK?
Ditto and hello to YBG!
MUYS:
(((((wave!!!!))))
YBG
LMD:
You’re probably wiped out. So when you can, let us know what’s been happenin’.
We’re all thinking of you.
YBG
Go Colleen! Go Penny! Keep us posted!
I’m working on it. Patience…Lance is into White Mountain 2 hours in front of Hans but Hans is moving faster and Jeff King is close behind Hans. Just a taste. Next thread will be all about the dogs. Colleen is resting in the arms of her beloved Joseph in Unalakleet.
YBG: I’m looking her and there and everywhere and cannot find you…..
Expect Colleen to come on strong at the end. That is her MO. She is one of the ones that takes longer rests so she has a really strong team and can reel a few in before the finish line.
I know that the river was really tough on her and Joseph was saying “this is the last 1000+ mile race that we will do”….BUT, he was saying that when we were packing drop bags before the Quest last year and she was saying it when she came into Central….sooooo….we’ll see.
LMD:
STILL HERE!!!!
Awww, she’ll be back next year, whaddaya wanna bet?
Oh yeah, what’s up with that drug testing thing you mentioned? You don’t think that will be an issue, do you? I certainly hope not.
LMD:
I’m just so proud of Colleen for the statement she’s made about rescue dogs. For that reason alone, she should continue to race! Many rescue people are behind her.
Sorry YBG: I was writing the next installment. And “now I am spent” Must sleep. Sorry I missed you.
‘Nite, LoveMyDogs! Looking fwd to the next installment! Thinking of you!