Temperatures can hover at 50 degrees below zero, but Dallas Seavey, a champion of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, says the frigid conditions are not the most challenging part. Rather, it's when there is an incessant, howling wind.
That's what happened during one of the worst blizzards ever to engulf the Iditarod near the end of the 2014 race. The wind blew so intensely that the snow went horizontal — carrying it right out to sea and leaving the trail largely bare.
"After hours of battling the storm, just making it inch by inch, I mean the dogs, myself, everything getting were getting knocked over by 90 mile-per-hour gusts and then pushed sideways across the sea ice," Seavey recalled.
Then, almost matter-of-factly, he added, "I actually ended up winning that."
Dallas Seavey: Overcome Difficult Situations
Seavey has won the Iditarod five times, tying him for most victories ever. He's aiming to break the winning record during the 50th running beginning March 5 with a ceremonial start in Anchorage, Alaska. He's among the 32 men and 17 women scheduled to compete in what is considered one of the most grueling endurance contests in sports.
The teams, each 14 dogs strong, pound their way nearly 1,000 miles through the Alaskan wilderness each year.
Seavey, 34, is not only a professional musher, but also a business owner. He promotes his outfit that takes visitors on sled-dog excursions, AK Sled Dog Tours in Talkeetna, Alaska. He also lectures on leadership and team development in the offseason.
Always Be The CEO Like Seavey
Seavey is truly a CEO of his sled, caring for his dogs, encouraging them and working with them to win the race. "You know, I'm the one who gets the accolades," he said. "But the truth of it is I ride to success on the back of my team every single time."
That means making sure the dogs get plenty of sleep on the straw he has laid down for them, caring for their feet and their booties and having mountains of food that he dropped off before the race ready of them at the rest stops. The dogs, averaging 55 pounds, will burn 10,000 to 12,000 calories a day while racing — a ratio that would "blow any human athlete out of the water," he said.
Motivate Your Team By Letting Them Run
Over eight days or longer, Seavey said, he is constantly making decisions. "I dictate how far we run, how long we rest, how fast we go — all of these things I have control over," he said. His goal is to understand the needs of the team.
The team, in turn, responds. They don't need much motivation or many rewards. Sled dogs were born to run, it's what they are passionate about. As such, Seavey says he can make the race fun for them through esprit de corps, a gung-ho spirit.
"There's a world of difference between your employees showing up at work, dragging their feet, just looking at their watch ... and actively trying to accomplish the same goal as you are," he said.
Know The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Every Member
Sure, some team members will become distracted. They bite the snow for extra hydration or even drag the team off the trail. Seavey said he deals with such issues by calling a dog out by name, such as, "Mustang, get up there. Come on, pay attention, buddy!" He said the other dogs appreciate him for dealing directly with an errant member as if to say, "Man, are you going to do something about this guy or are you just going to let him keep on dragging us down?"
Seavey has to carefully assess the strengths and weaknesses of every member of the team. For instance, Seavey says some lead dogs are stubborn, a big advantage when it comes to not being put off by storms, blizzards, deep snow or extra long distances. But that same trait doesn't always make them the most precise when it comes to steering. Or they may not be as willing to listen and follow directions. "A slightly more sensitive dog" might be better at communicating with its human leader, he said.
Seavey: See The Challenge From The Team's Perspective
Seavey says he tries to see the race from the dog's perspective and feel what they are feeling. His style of coaching is to understand the team and be flexible rather than try to "shoehorn" them into a more authoritarian approach.
"It's about recognizing when this teammate can thrive in this situation and making sure you're avoiding the places that draw out their weaknesses," he said.
It becomes a matter of precision. Seavey said the goal is to run a "perfect race" — seeking the best possible route and making the right key decisions with an eye toward constantly reevaluating what he can do better — that will result in a win.
Seavey has had many years to develop his winning formula. He grew up around sled dogs and the race. It was a family affair. His father, Mitch, was the Iditarod champion in 2004, 2013 and 2017. Dallas Seavey first won in 2012, then had a three-year winning streak — 2014, 2015 and 2016 — then came back last year with another win.
"The lifestyle is huge for me because it's not just the time we spent outdoors and the time we spent working with a dog, but it's also much like farming or ranching, every day is different," he explained.
Endure Challenges Outside Of Your Passion Like Seavey
One of his toughest moments, however, wasn't on the trail, but rather dealing with an accusation. A race official told him that he had found a banned pain medication in several of his dogs after the 2017 race, in which he placed second behind his dad.
The fallout plunged Seavey into a netherworld that he calls "the toughest year of my life" before the race committee finally issued a statement fully clearing him.
"It's something that blindsides you and I try to take responsibility for everything," he said. He said it brought about a period of deep introspection dealing with "false accusations." He looked within himself and concluded there's nothing he would have done differently.
The hardest part was the waiting for his name to be cleared. It wasn't until there was new leadership within the organization that he received what he considered a just ruling. That is behind him now, allowing him to focus on racing.
"Seavey's win in Iditarod 49 epitomizes the grit, determination and perseverance for which our race is synonymous," said Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach after Seavey crossed the finish line last year.
For months, he has been preparing for this month's Iditarod. The race, he said, "takes a lot out of you." After having run 12 times starting at age 18 — at one point he participated every year from 2009 to 2017 — he thinks about how much longer he wants to continue after this year.
Reevaluate To Make Sure Your Heart Is Still In It
"Every year I made a conscious decision — 'yes, I want to do this,' " he said. But he promised himself that he'd pull back if there ever was a time that he lost his enthusiasm. He said at that point, he'd either be done or take a year off. One factor is wanting to spend more time with his 11-year-old daughter.
"I would rather (spend) my next years to watch her grow and develop and become an amazing young woman and hopefully find something that she's passionate about and enjoys. Maybe it's raising a family Maybe that's what she wants to do, but whatever it is, I've got her back."
A chance she'll want to become a competitive musher, the family's third generation of Iditarod mushers? Unlikely, Seavey said.
That's more his thing. He knows exactly why. "I get to spend my life hanging out in the woods with a bunch of dogs, you know, and I love that connection. I love working with animals," he said.
Iditarod Champ Dallas Seavey's Keys
- Iditarod musher who won the Trail Sled Dog Race five times in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2021. Tied for the most wins ever.
- Overcame: Allegations of banned substances found in his dogs, later to be fully cleared by the race committee.
- Lesson: "It's about recognizing when this teammate can thrive in this situation and making sure you're avoiding the places that draw out their weaknesses."
