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Iditarod: An Incredible Journey with IBD

By Andrew Tubesing, MS | Published Mar 6, 2012

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Veteran Iditarod musher Pat Moon Imagine trekking 1049 miles across the most remote areas of the United States, through the coldest sub-zero temperatures in the country. Imagine covering upwards of 100 miles per day, on a dog sled, for up to two weeks—or even longer. Imagine you’re racing against 65 of the hardiest, most determined, most badass winter competitors in the world… You’re running the Iditarod dogsled race from Anchorage to Nome Alaska.

Now imagine that you’re doing it while battling ulcerative colitis. That’s the story of veteran Iditarod musher Pat Moon and he’s doing it right now. The race started Saturday March 3, in Anchorage Alaska, and will end 10-17 days later in Nome Alaska. He is enroute across the great frontier of Alaska, from the northern tip of the Pacific Ocean to the Bering Sea. Click here for updates on his progress.

Many of us can hardly imagine making it to the bathroom, let alone dogsledding a thousand miles toward Arctic Circle in the dead of winter. Now that’s what I call inspiration. If you can do that with ulcerative colitis, you can do anything.

I’ve never had a favorite musher before (that’s what they call dog-sledders), but I definitely have one now. Shoot for the Moon, Pat. I’ll be following you all the way!