Safety to Nome

Every February, around 48 athletes are invited to Alaska to embark on a journey that will test their physical and mental endurance, their determination to succeed, and their very will to survive. The Iditarod Trail Invitational is the world’s longest, most grueling, and most isolated ultra-marathon, pushing participants to traverse 1,000 miles of Alaskan wilderness by bike, on foot, or on skis. More people reach the summit of Everest in a single afternoon than have completed the trek from Anchorage to Nome on a bicycle. This year, 26 competitors will attempt the full 1,000-mile stretch of the Iditarod Trail. The quickest completion time is 12 days, while the slowest exceeds 30 days. It’s the unpredictability that draws these top-tier athletes back each year in search of meaning and thrill, yet it’s this same unpredictability that makes it one of the most perilous races on the planet. How prepared are you to risk losing your toes, your hands, or even someone dear to you? That’s the risk of being unprepared on the Iditarod Trail.