<p>I took these photos on 8 March 2009 at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod sled dog race in Anchorage, Alaska. This was the 37th running of The Last Great Race. I get a thrill out of each race - the dogs were born to run and it is another thing that makes me proud to be an Alaskan!
</p>
Note: for the ceremonial run the mushers have paying passengers - I think they are called Iditariders - these people bid on a chance to go on the ceremonial run. The actual Iditarod starts from Willow, Alaska, on the day after the ceremonial start, minus the Iditariders.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/72213316@N00">Frank Kovalchek</a> from USA
CC BY 2.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/3417413316/">Robert Bundzen in his 12th Iditarod race</a>