Athleticism gives surprise leaders an edge

Athletic prowess may be giving an Iditarod newcomer and a relative youngster a competitive edge.

The first musher to charge into the Cripple checkpoint this year is not only a fiercely intense champion wrestler -- good enough, in fact, to get to the U.S. Olympic Training Center -- he's also the son of 2004 Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey. Third-generation musher Dallas Seavey, 22, grew up helping his dad train racing teams. While his first place glide into Cripple earned him a hefty prize -- $3,000 in gold nuggets -- the real steal for him would be a 2010 Iditarod win after coming in sixth last year.

About eight and a half hours after Seavey's arrival, Michelle Phillips, 41, an Iditarod rookie from Canada, pulled into Cripple in fifth position. Like Seavey's, Phillips' youth was dominated by athletics. While Seavey has a background in wrestling, Phillips spent her youth as a competitive figure skater.

If Phillips has maintained her athleticism, it will help her out on the trail. The more mushers are able to run alongside their teams instead of riding on the sled, the more they'll be able to assist their dogs, according to Stuart Nelson, the race's chief veterinarian, who says musher weight and fitness is probably the number one factor affecting the energy drain dogs experience while pulling a sled.

An ideal musher would probably be someone as light and nimble as a jockey, but the race isn't at that point yet, Nelson said, noting that the Iditarod welcomes all types: Some mushers are small and fit, while others are larger in stature and big-bellied.