{"id":3137,"date":"2018-03-30T02:05:26","date_gmt":"2018-03-30T07:05:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/eagle-dog-sledding-veteran-posts-best-result-in-iditarod\/"},"modified":"2018-03-30T02:05:26","modified_gmt":"2018-03-30T07:05:26","slug":"eagle-dog-sledding-veteran-posts-best-result-in-iditarod","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/eagle-dog-sledding-veteran-posts-best-result-in-iditarod\/","title":{"rendered":"Eagle dog sledding veteran posts best result in Iditarod"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/p>\n

Yesterday, we highlighted Tom Schonberger, an Eagle Scout and National Eagle Scout Association<\/a> lifetime member, who got caught in unfavorable conditions while mushing in his first Iditarod<\/a> sled dog race in Alaska earlier this month. Read his story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t the only Eagle on the 1,000-mile trail.<\/p>\n

Eagle Scout Matthew Failor \u2014 in his seventh Iditarod \u2014 mushed his way to his best result, crossing the finish line in 13th place after 10 days, 5 hours, 53 minutes and 52 seconds on the trail. It wasn\u2019t his fastest time ever (he did it in 9 days, 16 hours, 42 minutes in 2014), but it proved faster than many in the 67-person field.<\/p>\n

Failor\u2019s team of Alaskan huskies mushed through blizzards and deep snow. Some stretches took a couple hours longer than they\u2019d normally take.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very challenging,\u201d Failor says. \u201cEvery year presents different weather and trail challenges. This year, some of the trail was downright gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important not to push the dogs and race at a pace right for the team. The dogs are pulling a couple hundred pounds with the sled, musher and gear. When the team rests, the musher is taking care of them, feeding and massaging the dogs. Failor usually got an hour of sleep every 10 hours.<\/p>\n

In the home stretch, Failor battled for position with musher\u00a0Ketil Reitan. The two mushers went back and forth in the last several miles before Failor finally edged him by 12 seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dogs did amazing,\u201d Failor says. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled and very proud of them. They worked very well together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prepared for the race<\/h2>\n

In the offseason, Failor runs a 53-dog kennel in Alaska and facilitates rides for tourists. Come September though, it\u2019s time to train. Failor runs his dogs in a few races leading up to the big race in March. He doesn\u2019t have to qualify for the Iditarod like\u00a0Schonberger did since he\u2019s raced in it before.\u00a0Sixteen dogs are chosen for the sled team; most are between 2.5 to 5 years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey all need to travel at the same speed,\u201d Failor says.<\/p>\n

He evaluated his team this year as \u201csophomores\u201d racing against other teams with more experience. The winning team finished the race in 9 days, 12 hours. He says next year, his team could be faster.<\/p>\n

We met with Failor a few years ago. Watch how he prepares for Iditarod:<\/p>\n