Sunday, January 21, 2007

Mushing Strategy


The strategy of mushing varies from musher to musher. Aliy and Allen train with a specific plan and race on a plan that they have trained. In this current race, Kusko 300, Aliy reached the far point Pike's Cabin and has turned around and is out of Aniak. She is teaching the younger dogs to race , to be on plan. I don't know the plan, but it will involve good rest for dogs. We'll know more after the race. I believe she will choose four dogs from this team to be on her main Iditarod team. Allen ran twelve of the main dogs in the Copper Basin for his win.

The key to good kennels is the day to day support in the kennel. Having two racers requires double of everything (food packs, equipment, training, etc). KAZ, Aliy's sister, and husband, Ray, are key to the planning/implementation. KAZ and Ray handled for Allen in the CB300, then Allen, KAZ and Ray are holding down the kennel as Aliy races. Randy Chappel also comes from Texas to assist/run dogs/ race. I think he might be in Bethel, but not sure. Ken and Amy from Michigan may also assist in the Tustu.

Both Aliy and Allen will race the Tustumena 200 next weekend, if all goes according to plan.
That is two 300's back to back and 2 200's (for dogs), giving many of the dogs 1100 miles of racing prior to Iditarod. That sounds like a great plan to me.

This is a picture of Allen and KAZ getting Aliy's team out of the restart in Willow one year.

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