It’s not only dogs working their way across the state right now: 14 human competitors in this year’s 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational have been racing toward Nome on foot or bicycle since February 25th.
Nome’s Philip Hofstetter, competing on a fat-tire bike, is currently in second position. At last update of the official race tracker, Hofstetter was approaching Kaltag, approximately 570 miles, and nearly 12 days, into the race.
The Iditarod Trail Invitational describes itself as the world’s original and longest winter ultra-marathon. Competitors can choose between bike, skis, or just their feet to make the 1,000 mile trek to Nome, which can take up to a month.
Image at top: Nome is the final stop in both the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the human-powered Iditarod Trail Invitational. Photo: Ben Matheson, KNOM.
