VIDEO: At the Iditarod's ceremonial start in Anchorage, several mushers talked about the foods they prefer as they cover the 1,000-mile trail.

As with any endurance sport, racing in the Iditarod requires a lot of energy -- both for the dogs and the mushers. At the race's ceremonial start in Anchorage, several mushers talked about the foods they prefer as they cover the 1,000-mile trail.

Three-time champion Lance Mackey:

Everything I can get my hands on. I'm kind of the master and king of junk food, but I also take advantage of all of the hospitality of the villages, and I'm all for whatever Native foods they have available. Salmon, of course -- of any kind in any form -- is very good, as is white fish and sheefish as you get a little farther up. I also like to have a little muktuk and other things that most people don't even want to try; to me, it's a treat that we down in the Interior don't get very often unless you have connections to the villages, and I love it. I love casseroles of many kinds -- caribou, reindeer, moose stews, bear jerky -- all of those things seem to make it to the checkpoints at one point or another.

Top ten musher John Baker:

Whatever I can get. I'm hungry.

Grand champion Jeff King:

Roasted almonds and gorp are some of my favorite snacks, and I usually make some lasagna for the race. Since we can send our food out before the race, it's nice that I don't have to worry about not having good foods to eat when I get to the checkpoints.

Four-time champion Martin Buser:

I ship out lots of good food before the race. Good food makes you feel good, so I have steak, shrimp, pasta, fresh fruit, corn, peas, rice, Swiss chocolates, Swiss cheese -- I have a little bit of everything out there. And then I basically just look at the "people" food and whatever my body desires, I'll take that in. From the saltiest snack -- the Pringles, maybe -- to the sweet fresh fruit, your body dictates what it needs, so if you have the choices and the variety out there, you can eat what you need to make your body feel good.