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Wednesday, May 2, 2001 |
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Wednesday, May 2, 2001 |
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After travelling more than 1,000 miles over rugged terrain in the death grip of an arctic winter battling hallucinations and fatigue one would expect a feeling of euphoria once the 15-day journey was over.Such was not the case for Karen Ramstead, the first Canadian woman to compete in the renowned Iditarod sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Last year Ramstead was the first Canadian woman to participate, but she never finished the race. This winter Ramstead was not just the only Canadian woman to compete, but the first Canadian woman to ever complete the gruelling marathon. Ramstead, who raised Siberian huskies at her North Wapiti Kennel in Perryvale, Alberta north of Edmonton visited Grade 6 students at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School last Wednesday to tell her harrowing tale of the fabled Iditarod.
In 2001 Ramstead’s dream came true as she completed the Iditarod in 14 days 23 hours and 53 minutes to win the red lantern award. The red lantern award is given to the team that finished last — but the key is finishing. More than 70 teams started the 2001 race, but only 57 finished. Surprisingly, after training for more than 10 years for the Iditarod, Ramstead’s reaction upon crossing the finish line in Nome was not one of jubilation. 'It was anticlimactic,' said Ramstead. 'I was disappointed it was over. I thought, ‘this is it?’' 'After all the work we had done I did not want it to be over,' she said. Barely conscious, dehydrated, hungry and barely recognizable from frostbite it would seem unfathomable one would want to go on let alone be dejected that the torturous trial was over. For Ramstead the journey was anything but a trial, rather, it was her idea of a Sunday walk through a very large park with 16 of her favorite friends. 'I don’t mind the hardships because the experience was so wonderful,' she said. 'If the price I have to pay is a bit of frostbite and no sleep so be it.' Ramstead’s fascination with sled dogs began more than a decade ago when she bought her first Siberian husky. The owner of the dog dabbled in sledding and took Ramstead for a ride and she was intrigued. That curiosity evolved into a kennel in Perryvale with 50 Siberian huskies. Several years ago Ramstead began competing in short four and six mile sprint races before participating in a 54-mile marathon in B.C. In their first attempt at a long distance race, Ramstead and her dog team won. 'It was the worst thing that could have happened because now we were hooked,' said the musher. She began competing in longer races such as the 300-mile Race to the Sky in Montana. What was once a dream of competing in the Iditarod was coming closer and closer to becoming a possibility. Ramstead began training her dogs seven days a week searching for the right combination to compete at the Iditarod. A pool of 50 was carved down to 30, then 24, 20 and finally 16. Ramstead entered the 2000 Iditarod, but the dream was a nightmare for the Canadian as the race was mired in bad luck and bad breaks. At Happy River one of Ramstead’s three sleds was damaged and she lost a full day on the trail. Then when navigating the abysmal Yukon River Ramstead fell asleep and fell off the sled. She stumbled up bloodied and woozy only to see her sled continuing down the barren moon-like landscape without her. She chased after the sled earning the nickname Karen Runs-Instead. Finally after 920 miles, with only 12 of her 16 dogs remaining she was forced to drop from the race. Four of her dogs were left at various checkpoints with veterinarians as they were too exhausted to continue. 'It was pretty disappointing,' said Ramstead of her choice to withdraw. 'Just 170 miles from the finish. It was so close and that it was taken away.' The failures of 2000, however, helped prepare Ramstead for 2001. She adjusted her strategies for her second attempt and the game plan paid dividends. With her trusted lead dogs Snuffleupagus and Grover showing the way, the Alberta team navigated the trying course with little drama. On the 14th day, with 15 of her 16 dogs still pulling, Ramstead could see the lights of Nome up the coast of the Bering Sea. 'When we were at White Mountain with only 100 miles left on the final stretch that was an emotional moment,' said Ramstead. 'I knew we were going to finish. That is a very special memory.' She and her team did finish. With the finish line behind them, Ramstead has already set a new goal — break the record for a team of Siberian husky thoroughbreds. The majority of Iditarod teams use Alaskan huskies with an emphasis on speed over durability. The Siberian husky record is approximately 12 days. Unfortunately, it may be quite some time before the Canadian can challenge the record. To finance her run at the Iditarod Ramstead is looking for a major sponsor to help cover the $25,000 US needed to operate her team for the season. If she cannot secure additional sponsors, she will opt out of the 2002 Iditarod and focus on 2003. After spending 14 days virtualy alone on the desolate Alaskan frontier time may mean little to Ramstead and her stable of Siberians. For more information on Ramstead’s kennel and the Iditarod see her website at www.telusplanet.net/public/musher  |
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