Every Step Counts^®

WHAT IS RACE WITH THE SLED DOGS?

Race with the Sled Dogs is a fun event where students virtually run the Iditarod® along with the sled dogs. It’s a simple and fun way to encourage students to be more active during the winter. Students work together collaboratively as they complete the course - challenging themselves & experiencing amazing educational opportunities as they traverse the Alaskan terrain. Download the free maps and the start up sheet to begin.

STUDENTS WORK TOGETHER IN THIS COLLABORATIVE RACE

This challenge is designed to track mileage collectively – as a classroom, run club, or entire school. The Junior Iditarod® challenge is 150 miles; the full Iditarod® challenge covers 1,000 miles. Choose the course that works best for the size/age/fitness level of your participants. See how to use EZ Scan® with your Race with the Sled Dog event.

The Junior Iditarod® starts the last Saturday of February (the Junior Iditarod® mushers are 14-17 years old). It can take the musher and their team of dogs anywhere from 1-2 days to complete the course – depending on the weather. Challenge your students to cover 150 miles as quickly as the mushers. Or, simply compare how long it takes your runners to complete the same number of miles as the sled dogs. The full Iditarod® starts the first Saturday of March. It takes the musher and their team of dogs from 8-12 days to complete the course. You can follow their progress in real time at iditarod.com. Challenge your students to keep up with the leader; or, see how quickly they can cover the entire 1,000 miles. It’s up to you.

HOW DO I INCORPORATE AWARDS INTO THE EVENT?

We recommend 4 landmarks along the race routes where you can reward your students. For the Junior Iditarod®, these points are Su River (40 miles), Yentna Station (75 miles), Old Hunter Trail (132 miles), and Willow (150 miles). For the Iditarod®, these are Rainy Pass (153 miles), Ophir (352 miles), Unalakleet (725 miles) and Nome (1,000 miles).

Remember, you’re tracking your group’s total mileage. When the group reaches a distance goal, everyone receives an award.

ADDITIONAL IDITAROD® RESOURCES

If you want to take the race to the next level, The official Iditarod® website has an abundance of information for teachers, coaches, and coordinators. There are maps, real time videos and trackers, and education activities and lessons for all subjects. It’s truly an amazing resource! We encourage you to explore iditarod.com to decide what information will be most useful to you and your event.