Monday Morning Update- Resting in Finger Lake – Buser still Running…

fingerlake

Finger Lake Checkpoint

Finger Lake Checkpoint

Pete and the Team arrived into Finger Lake this morning at 5:43am right on schedule and still holding 10th position. The Standings Page shows them in 11th, but this is because Aliy Zirkle passed through Finger Lake after them and is now back on the trail. The Standings Page will show position based on the trail, so if a Team is in and out again, they will appear in the lead. We will list the position based on the IN time as it is really the standing position of the Race. Some Teams don’t like to rest in a checkpoint and will be in and out, but rest just a short bit up the trail.

Martin Buser appears to be going for some kind of non stop record. He is still on the trail this morning having only completed two short 30 minute breaks along the trail.

I anticipate a 3-4 hour break here in Finger Lake before heading up into the Rainy Pass area.

Weather this morning is very warm. I was worrying about a low in the Bering Sea affecting temperatures and it appears that it has moved inland a bit and is keeping temperatures almost too warm for a fast trail.

Weather Forecast:

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MCGRATH...NIKOLAI...TAKOTNA...
FAREWELL LAKE
602 AM AKST MON MAR 4 2013

.TODAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE TEENS TO MID 20S. NORTHEAST
WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH. 
.TONIGHT...CLOUDY. LOWS 8 TO 15 ABOVE. EAST WINDS TO 10 MPH. 
.TUESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE 20S TO LOWER 30S. EAST
WINDS TO 10 MPH.
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On the Move to Finger Lake

Skwentna

In this afternoons prerace interview, Pete mentioned a 6 hour run and a rest and then another 6 hour run. Several mushers look to be doing the same interval as they all took their break 8 miles before Skwentna. After a 3 hour rest Pete is back on the Trail and headed towards Skwentna and then I would suspect Finger Lake, about 53 miles up the trail, which might be about a 6 hour run.

Martin Buser looks to be looking at a 100 mile run before his rest break.

Mushing Weather Forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Lows 5 to 15 above. Variable wind to 10 mph.

Monday: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s to mid 30s. Light winds.

Currently:

 

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Strategy Already! Buser Strikes Off!

The race is not 12 hours old and we have three strategies playing out on the trail. Martin Buser, who left the chute first this afternoon, has not taken the traditional break that other mushers have in previous races, or even in this race. He has become the 2013 Jackrabbit, while other teams rest. Pete and the Team went to rest at the 60 mile point in the race pretty much according to his race plan we spoke about earlier today (Interview coming) Other teams have pushed on to Skwentna and are taking a break there.

Earlier this year, in the Kuskokwim 300, teams did put in long stretches of mileage (Almost 150miles) but not so early in the race. We will see how this strategy plays out later in the race.

In any case, the excitement has already started as we watch World-Class mushing at it’s finest! Stay tuned.

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