24-year-old Wade Marrs completed a career-best Iditarod this year, finishing in 8th place. And he ended it with some speed, mushing the 22 miles from Safety to Nome in 2 hours and 30 minutes, giving him (so far, at least) this year’s fastest split time for the final leg of the race.
Driving his team dressed in fluorescent green under the Burled Arch on Wednesday afternoon, Wade was all smiles. Greeted by friends and family, especially his daughter, Wade said this year’s race, especially the reroute from Fairbanks, was “very fun.” By the official clock, Wade’s race was completed in 9 days, 8 hours, 15 minutes, and 17 seconds.
When asked if he ever had a rough moment this race, or if he was able to maintain his smile, Wade replied, “I was pretty happy the whole race. I was having a lot of fun out there, so, I don’t think there was really any down time.” Wade hopes to one day win the Iditarod, but his main goal for next year, he says, is to “keep improving.”
