After the official ITI COVID test, we were bussed from Anchorage to the start location at Knik Lake. Most of the racers enjoyed a quick burger at the Knick bar right at the start. Everybody was busy with last-minute adjustments. Microspikes or not? Jacket or not? What gloves? What hat? Sunglasses? Where the heck is my lip balm? Did I pack enough toilet paper? I think I need to pee again…
At 2pm sharp we were sent off into the unknown by a small but cheerful crowd of supporters. The pulk felt heavy, well, because it actually was heavy. Nobody seemed to have a solid plan on how to get to the first checkpoint at Butterfly Lake (~mile 25). The recent warm and wet weather had made some lakes and trails impassable. You can easily lose many hours if you follow some trail that suddenly becomes impassable or ends by a cabin. My plan consisted of several route options. I would decide which one to take once I had a better idea of the current conditions. I had mapped out all routes carefully and felt as prepared as I could possibly be.
The bikers disappeared quickly, the skiers a little less quickly. Some of the foot folks started to actually run. That never seems to last for long and is almost certainly not worth the effort on a race of that length.
At the first junction where a decision had to be made (~mile 10), I had caught up with Magdalena. We had both completed the Yukon Arctic 430 in 2019, but didn’t know each other. We ended up staying together for the next 350mi. For reasons that will become clear later, Magdalena is also known as “Duracell Bunny.” As clueless non-locals, our route choice to the first checkpoint was not quite the shortest, but it appeared to be the safest. Once we finally made it to Butterfly Lake, we had some soup, I even enjoyed a beer, and onward we went through the night toward Yentna Station (checkpoint 2, mile 55).
The start at Knik lake.
Off we go!
Photo by Tony Allen. I did not shave for the next 24 days.
Photo by Linda Bulawa Klim.
Yep, this is it!
The sky was mostly blue, the temperatures were rather pleasant. That did not last.
Cruising through some rolling hills as the sun is about to set.
A quick sock change in the middle of the night. Foot care is key to success.
#iti2022 #iditarodtrailinvitational #ultrarunning #nome #alaska