With the start of the Iditarod today, we felt it a perfect time to post our story on Lance Mackey after his 3rd consecutive win last year (May 2009). AWM contributor, Amanda Jones interviewed Lance after his ‘three-peat’ performance in the more than 1100 mile race from Anchorage to Nome. Lance is just off of a second place finish at the Yukon Quest and could potentially set a record that will be hard to beat if he is successful with this year’s event. Good luck to all of the racers this year.

For more than 30 years, “13” has proved to be a rather lucky number for one Alaskan family. In 1978, Dick Mackey won the Iditarod on his 6th try wearing bib number 13. Then in 1983, son Rick takes the title back for the Mackey family on his 6th try wearing bib number 13. Flash forward 24 years, little brother Lance becomes the king of the Mackey family and the Iditarod, you guessed it on his 6th try wearing bib #13! That year, Lance won his first of three straight Iditarod titles. The road to the winner’s circle was not an easy one for Lance. Though it might sound like mushing is in his blood, he still overcame unbelievable odds to not only join the ranks of his father and brother, but to surpass them. The Iditarod has been called one of the ‘last great races on earth’. It is over 1150 miles of the most gorgeous and treacherous terrain one could imagine. It starts in Anchorage, AK and ends in Nome.

Native Alaskan, Lance Mackey, now calls Fairbanks, AK home. The 38-year-old father and athlete is now a fulltime musher and owns Comeback Kennels with his family.

His career in mushing got off to a slow start. In fact, he didn’t even realize mushing was a dream for him. “I grew up around dogs, but my dad always left me the bottom of the barrel racing dogs,” said Lance, “it was his way of teaching me and my brother Jason responsibility.”

As a teen, the highlight of Mackey’s racing career was a 4th place finish in the Jr. Iditarod. By the time he was 18, Mackey had gone from 140 dogs to none. He even became a commercial fisherman for a time. After marrying and becoming a father to his wife’s three small children, he ended up with 10 dogs before he knew it. Mackey just wasn’t sure the title of IDIT champ was in the cards for him. The 10 dogs he had accumulated were actually used to have fun with the kids. “The only racing they were doing was up and down our driveway,” said Mackey. Then the mushing bug bit again. “I think the fever had always been there. I was so proud of my dad and brother, they were legends, I was always bragging about them”

In 2001, he couldn’t resist the temptation of the ultimate race any longer. He ran the race with borrowed and “left over” dogs. “I just wanted a belt buckle for completing the race, only 600 people in the world have them,” he said. He finished 36 out of 58. But then, he realized if he had finished only 6 places higher, he would have also gotten a portion of the “race purse.” He also wanted to make his family proud.

Mackey had a long and trying road still ahead of him on his journey to being an Iditarod champ. In 2002, Mackey was diagnosed with throat cancer. He had surgery that April and then the radiation and recovery process began. As I listened to Mackey’s recount of that trying year I was shocked to hear that he actually raced in 2002. Many would consider just making it to the starting line an accomplishment. But not Mackey, the competitive spirit that had made the other men in his family so successful was alive in him too. He had to pull out in the middle of the race, but not for the reason many would expect. It wasn’t fatigue or lack of motivation. “I almost starved to death,” he said, “I was still on a feeding tube at the time, and couldn’t keep my liquid food thawed.” Here’s a guy who amazed this journalist by simply attempting this amazing feat. Yet, for him it was a major disappointment. “It was the lowest moment in my life. I had disappointed so many people.” His family and his sponsors were paramount to him. Not your $5000 sponsors mind you. “I was getting $500 sponsors at this time.” The amount was not the important part of this to Lance. It was the faith they had put in him. By the way, several of those sponsors even dropped him after that race.

When asked about being an inspiration to others (particularly cancer survivors); Again, his humble and hardworking persona shines through and he sees nothing too remarkable about his accomplishment. “I find it odd,” he said, “I think I did what most people would do. I had a dog team, a wife and a family counting on me.” However, Mackey still realizes the gravity of the situation he survived “I don’t think anyone who deals with what I dealt with can help but be grateful for tomorrow and thankful for today.”

So, 2003 rolls around and money becomes an issue and keeps him from competing. In 2004, he and his brother, Jason make top 30 finishes and get a much needed boost. 2005 had even more in store for this athlete. I asked if ever he was advised to give this whole racing thing a rest, his doctors thought of this too. “Don’t tell me I can’t do something.” is all he said. That something in Mackey’s mind was to be the first person to run the Yukon and Iditarod back to back. That’s exactly what he did. He was the 2005 Yukon champ and got a top 7 finish in the Iditarod. That was the first chapter to a very successful racing career for Lance Mackey. To put this in perspective, he is the only musher to win the over 1000 mile races back to back. He did it not once but twice.

He won the Yukon in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. He gives all of credit to his “team”. He attributes his success to his dogs and the support of his family. “The dogs are the #1 reason we are out there,” he said: The relationship with your dogs is crucial. I have 100 dogs and treat them all like family. Some mushers are too serious and are in this just as a business. I don’t do that.”

Mackey says the secret to his success is quite simple. Dedication! “I am out there with my dogs 99% of the time,” said Mackey. It is a connection he has cultivated with his dogs and is certainly proud of it.

“We put our heart and souls into this,” he said, “My wife is the backbone of Team Mackey.”

Then there are the furry family members. And, I quickly learn that “Larry” is a big part of this family affair. He is also known as the “lead dog” around the Mackey clan.

“You hope to find them once in a lifetime, said Mackey,”I didn’t realize what I had with Larry until I had had him a couple of years.” Larry is nine years old and this was his last year to race. By the way, he did finish the race this year. “A few parts of the race we went at Larry speed. But, our crew is not wimpy,” said Mackey.

The dogs even get to take a summer break. “I let them lay around all summer, from the first week of April to the first week of August,” said Mackey. Mackey also says they are like any athlete and need to heal. But I had to ask, just how do you train dogs in August with no snow? I found out quickly that mushers are a resourceful breed. “I hook them up to ATVs and run on dirt trails to build their muscles,” added Mackey.

But back to the race… In 2009, after 9 days, 21 hours, 38 minutes and 46 seconds… Lance Mackey claimed his 3rd Iditarod title. It still gives Lance a boost to hear the excitement in his Dad’s voice after a race. “After my third win, my dad was in disbelief,” said Mackey. He knew his son had joined an elite few. Dick Mackey now lives in Arizona. “He was the first person I talked to this year,” said Mackey, “I tear up thinking about him.”

The race and the gear have certainly changed since his dad won the Iditarod back in 1978. “Sleds and gear have very much improved since the 70′s,” he said, “My dad had a military sleeping bag weighing 20 lbs. Mine is 3-1/2 lbs. And, there were very few dog food companies then.” Lance recalls a story from his dad about the time he got stuck in a snow storm. He says his dad had to hunt for moose just to feed the dogs. In comparison, Lance and other mushers now send out 2500 pounds of gear and food to check points weeks ahead of the race.

One other thing Mackey Sr. didn’t have, Lance’s “must have” piece of gear – his iPod! “Its quiet and desolate out there,” he said, “it helps keep you motivated.”

Only 2 other racers, Susan Butcher (1986-88) and Doug Swingley (1999-2001), have won the Iditarod 3 consecutive times. But, it was one of the awards given by the veterinarians after the race that Mackey most treasures. He was given the “Humanitarian Award”. For an animal lover like Mackey, this was priceless. “I would trade the truck, the money everything for that award.” It means the vets along the racecourse think that Mackey had the best care for his dog team.

One part of the process that is easier for Mackey now is the availability of sponsors to him. He can now focus on training and racing full time. And, it is an expensive game to play “$100K a year is a conservative amount to spend on a racing team” said Mackey. He puts in $60-70K a year.

He now has another possible award on the horizon, an ESPY. “I have had 3 years of being nominated,” he said, “just being nominated is huge even if I don’t win.”

When asked what words of wisdom he would pass along to future mushers, Mackey responded:

“It’s a passionate sport that takes effort. You must be patient, there’s no overnight success. You only get out of it what you put in.” Lance recalls going without family vacations so that they could put all of their money into their racing dogs.

I couldn’t avoid the temptation to compare this Lance to another famous race-winning-cancer-surviving Lance. Wouldn’t you know it; I wasn’t the first to make this comparison. “We got approached by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to come down to Texas and do a commercial with him.” The other details Mackey is not too sure of, “My wife handles that,” he said.

In case you are wondering about the next generation of racing Mackeys. Lance’s teenaged son, Cain Mackey, is proving this is a family tradition. He just won the Jr. Iditarod. And now, Lance gets to feel the same type of pride his father has felt for him.

But Lance isn’t hanging up his racing sled just yet. His goal for 2010? “To get as many happy and healthy dogs to Nome as I can!”

His final words to me were not about himself. “We thank the fans and all of those who support us and the dogs.”

Photos courtesy of Kevin Spreekmeester and accompanied the article in the May 2009 issue