ASK THE MUSHER Vol 9: Lance Mackey

[boo]

Welcome to our fuzzy, furry corner of cyberspace, Lance and thanks for joining us. I do have a few questions, prefaced with my admiration of your achievements in spite of or maybe on account of your challenges. I liked the interview with Conan, despite him being a pinhead---I think he missed a great opportunity to ask about the cancer, etc. etc. Your story is amazing (just the back-to-back IditaQuests) but the inspiration even more when you factor in cancer and shoestring budget. Annnyyyywaaayyyyy......

Comparing the downtime between '07 and '08 Quest and Irod.....WAS there any difference? Do they rest completely between? Do you do a 'clear them out' run Thursday before Irod or no?

Was the GPS unit in the cooking pan a strategy move or purely accidental?

Do you think you'll ever switch to the OMS?

Who is looking good this year in the dog yard? Who will likely age off? I assume Larry and Hobo are loving retirement and daddy duties.

[SuldalsXpressen]

Welcome, Lance! How nice of you to join us.

Question about dogs:
Have you changed the type of dogs you use for the I'rod/Quest over the years? Bigger/smaller, strength/stamina? Do you for instance see a difference between the usual Alaskan team and the European ones?

Question about weather:
Do you prefer a certain type of weather? Are storms/deep snow/cold temps advantage/disadvantage for you?

Question about the race:
What would you have changed about the I'rod if you could? Length/trail/cp's/number of teams and so forth...

Thanks ever so much!

Eskil,
the norwegian mod

[lmackey]

Ok...I cheated and used my MOD powers to post this...

Lance....Thanks....

Heidi...YOU ROCK...that is all for now....until Heidie officially opens this thread.

Oh...one more thing....

GoLanceGo®...hey lance, just kidding bout the ® thing

tsfr

Thank you for the invitation

[lmackey]

Welcome to our fuzzy, furry corner of cyberspace, Lance and thanks for joining us. I do have a few questions, prefaced with my admiration of your achievements in spite of or maybe on account of your challenges. I liked the interview with Conan, despite him being a pinhead---I think he missed a great opportunity to ask about the cancer, etc. etc. Your story is amazing (just the back-to-back IditaQuests) but the inspiration even more when you factor in cancer and shoestring budget. Annnyyyywaaayyyyy......

Comparing the downtime between '07 and '08 Quest and Irod.....WAS there any difference? Do they rest completely between? Do you do a 'clear them out' run Thursday before Irod or no?

Was the GPS unit in the cooking pan a strategy move or purely accidental?

Do you think you'll ever switch to the OMS?

Who is looking good this year in the dog yard? Who will likely age off? I assume Larry and Hobo are loving retirement and daddy duties.

Every race is different. The weather, the competitors, the trail. The 08 Quest trail was pretty rough and cold, it was much tougher for that reason.

Rest? I do well without a lot of sleep but when I sleep I sleep good. As far as running them before any race, I stretch them out to keep them limber but nothing big, if they aren't ready by now they aren't ready.

I don't plan on switching to the sit down sleds anytime soon. I feel I need to work as hard as the dogs do and it is much easier for me to run behind the dogs without a seat behind me.

I have some up and coming stars in my lot. Larry isn;t ready to retire just yet, and watch out for Lippy

[lmackey]

Welcome, Lance! How nice of you to join us.

Question about dogs:
Have you changed the type of dogs you use for the I'rod/Quest over the years? Bigger/smaller, strength/stamina? Do you for instance see a difference between the usual Alaskan team and the European ones?

Question about weather:
Do you prefer a certain type of weather? Are storms/deep snow/cold temps advantage/disadvantage for you?

Question about the race:
What would you have changed about the I'rod if you could? Length/trail/cp's/number of teams and so forth...

Thanks ever so much!

Eskil,
the norwegian mod

Hi Eskil - Have I changed the type of dog? Not really, I choose a dog for how well they eat and how good of an attitude they have. It's that simple. Appetite and attitude.

Hmmm, well i don't like really cold weather, but I have no problem with storms, bad weather, I choose to run dogs, this is my job, I take what I get and make it work.

[lmackey]

Lance...

A "ThreePeat"?!?... ...who is the ONE musher that could keep you from this unheard of feat?

tsfr...daniel

I will do my best. There are a lot of mushers that could and will try to be the first. All I can tell you is I will do my best. I wish them all the best and safe trails.

[lmackey]

:D WOW
LANCE MACKEY!!!!!!!!!
How cool is that?! Thanks so much Lance for being on our forum! You've made a lot of armchair mushers real happy!

I lost my mom to cancer in '01 so when you fought back from that and started racing again that really got my attention. I couldn't imagine how you could come back from such a physical ordeal and rise to the top totally reinventing the way people look at race strategy! Did your dogs teach you or did you get some divine inspiration on how to do this?

I just finished watching the ITC's "Deja Vu" '08 race coverage and Jeff King's last line sticks with me "he(Lance) is to dog mushing what mozart is to music...he's gifted. It's hard not to be also in awe of his gift." It had to feel great to hear that from Jeff Is there anything left to prove for you? Are you content with your race strategy or is that always evolving & changing?

Thanks for your reply!

I'm very sorry to hear about your mom. Cancer is an unfair disease.

There were some very tough times for me but cancer also made me realize how short life is and what's really important. Everyday I challenge myself. I really have the best job in the world. How many people can say "I love what I do?" Cancer, in a way taught me to savor life and not let the little things get in my way or drag me down. My dogs helped me through some tough times, absolutely, I don't know what I would have done without them, I do connect with them...we work as a TEAM, we are a TEAM.

Jeff and I are competitors while racing but at the same time I respect and admire him. Hearing him say that meant a great deal.

Looking ahead...I don't have anything to prove, but I do want to continue to improve and do my best as long as I am able to run dogs.

Of course the sport is always evolving, but some of the old ways still work, and I still use them, I am still using gear my dad used and I still have his line of dogs in my team.
I like to mix it up on the trail, try new things, analyze things, step up to the edge and see what's out there.

[tanglefoot]

hi lance, thanks so much for joining us!

i wear my larry patch with pride ! i was so pleased when you won the double, i always reconed it could be done, im glad your the man who did! and to do the double double...wow! that showed them that it wasnt a fluke and it could be done.

you sent my friend wayne a signed bootie this year ( we both mush and race dogs in england - UK - im the matt on your site mentioned in the international patch orders advert. ) i can say wayne is stoked to bits and it joins him on the trail when he races as a good luck charm...working so far for him! hes having a good season. hes not on here yet so i would like to pass on his thanks and hellos to you for him and amanda his wife.

so...

when you pulled the old school trick on jeff, did you allow yourself a chuckle when you realised you had got away with it?

i love the way you have with your dogs and your spirit, i know as mushers we try not to have a favourite dog, but do you have one dog in all your years of mushing that sticks out as a stand out dog or a favourite dog?

ive got loads more questions but will save some for later.

p.s. any plans to come to the UK? i know its had to get away from the dogs and chores but you'd be made more than welcome!

[jsk]

Lance, HI from Forrest's mom!

I was at the ceremonial start and start with Forrest and Ken/Gwen last March, but I didn't get a chance to meet you because you were so mobbed by reporters! I met Tonya very briefly.

Are you going to race Ken again in the Quest this year? That was a trip!

--Janet Kieffer

[klmobile]

Lance!!
Thanks for doing something many people including me thought would never happen.
And then to do it again in 2008 was awesome
I have an autographed picture of you hanging in my office at work.
It came out of the Iditarod calender from 2008.
I love when people ask me about it because I get to share your inspiring story.
I'm going to ask you the same thing I asked Dee Dee.

What is your favorite Race besides the Iditarod?

How has the Internet effected "The Race" for you?

Thanks again for joining us here!!
Kevin