Congratulations Dallas

Some said it would never be duplicated. Many believe Rick Swenson's record was sacred and had some magical power that would keep any four-time Iditarod Champion from ever claiming a fifth. That thought was never more qualified than in 2014 when Jeff King had a solid lead out of White Mountain and was blown off course and forced to scratch just three or four miles from the last checkpoint of Safety. Doug Swingley ended up with frozen corneas. Cursed. That has been the theory of many a musher. It's cursed. Dallas even voiced that concern in Skwentna as he was parked taking his final mandatory 8. 

But here we are. In a year fraught with so many unknowns, so many changes and challenges. Here we are. Dallas is only the second five-time champion the Iditarod has ever had. I'm sure you could make the argument that it was shorter, that the trails are better that the race is hardly the same as when Rick was winning. And you're right. Dog care is better. Breeding programs are better. Training is better. There are more ways to afford to be an Iditarod musher without scratching two pennies together and hoping it's enough. All valid. But if it was that much easier, why don't we have more 5 time champions? There's something about this number that is more legend than attained.

We've come a long way from the musher who was "just" training his dad puppy teams. The one that was going to hold the title of youngest musher to start the race, finish the race. Then it was the plan to leave the mushing behind and become a national champion wrestler and the Olympics. When that ended with injury and he returned back to the puppy team training it was "I'm not doing this forever". There were plans for horses in Montana or something else. Not dogs. But the challenge continued calling... and here we are. The youngest Iditarod Champion, a rivalry with the sport's most beloved icon of the era (no, not Mitch, I'm talking Aliy Zirkle). A come from behind win due to crazy weather. 3 wins in a row. 

And then the dark days. The scandal. Personal drama. Dark days where I'm sure at times he felt very alone. But there were dogs, and there was family. And Norway. And finding the fun in the challenge again. And a dad taking a year off and suddenly the rebuilding part of Dallas's life was coming together and here we are.

Number five. No, there's no burled arch. No running up Cape Nome. No siren. No coming up off the sea ice right behind the Subway/Movie Theater. No Front Street.

But it was 850+ miles on trail known well but not known well backwards. Of Covid Bubbles. Of hay stealing ponies. And so much attention about one wool sweater that it now has its own twitter account (I wanna be there when he finds out about that). 

And somehow, here he is. Back on top as Champion after 3 years away. It's like he never left and nothing has changed. 

Congratulations, Dallas. It was well earned. 

And, hey, welcome back to Iditarod. You've been missed.