HUMAN

Name: EMILY DINGES
Age: 25
Residence: PALMER, ALASKA
Occupation: SCHOOL TEACHER
Years involved with Iditarod: SINCE 2010
Iditarod Role: HELPING RUN THE SPOT TRACKERS THAT ARE ON THE TEAMS
Current Location: NOME, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 14, 2019
Temperature: 26F / OUTDOORS

What is your Why?.. Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?:

I STARTED OUT WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR MUSHER. IT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT I WAS EVER REALLY INVOLVED WITH WHERE I FELT LIKE IT MADE SENSE. IT JUST CLICKED. IT FELT RIGHT. AND AFTER I GOT OUT OF JUNIOR RACING, I HEAD TO ADULT. SO I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW I COULD COME BACK WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN THE DOGS. AND SO I DO A LOT OF THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES THINGS NOW.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

FOR ME THE MOST REWARDING IS JUST SEEING THE MUSHERS WITH THEIR DOGS, THE DOWN TIME WHEN THEY’RE NOT RACING; SEEING THE CONNECTION THAT’S OUT THERE. NONE OF US ARE IN IT FOR THE MONEY, NONE OF THE MUSHERS THAT ARE OUT THERE. THEY’RE IN IT TO BE OUT THERE WITH THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR FAMILY; IN THIS CASE, THEIR 14 BEST FRIENDS, AND JUST WATCHING THE CONNECTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

What do you know for sure?:

LIFE’S AN ADVENTURE AND IT’S ALL PART OF THE RIDE, BEING OUT HERE THIS YEAR. I WAS ASKED ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE RACE IF I COULD COME OUT, AND I SAID, “SURE. LET ME JUST REARRANGE MY SCHEDULE AND I’LL BE OUT THERE.” TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY COME BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY’LL BE THERE AGAIN.