HUMAN

Name: Conner Thomas

Age: 70

Residence: Nome, Alaska 

Occupation: Attorney

Years involved with the Iditarod: Years involved with the Iditarod, I first ran the Iditarod in 1989. However, I’ve been following the Iditarod since 1978, which was my first year in Nome.

Iditarod Role: I’ve had various roles with the Iditarod. I’ve participated twice in the race itself, once in 1989, another in 1996. I’ve also been a race judge in 1992. I was an assistant checker here in Nome for a number of years, starting in around 2008 or ’09. I’ve also been involved in the adjudication of rule violations as part of an ad hoc appeals panel at one time in the early 2000s.

Current Location: Nome, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 16, 2022

Temperature: 10F Outdoors/68F Indoors at Iditarod Headquarters

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved with the Iditarod because it captured my imagination. As I’d indicated earlier, I first was in Nome in January of 1978, so I watched the Iditarod in 1978. For those who follow Iditarod history, that was the year that Dick Mackey beat Rick Swenson by one second on Front street. I was standing at the front of the shoot and was just blown away by the event and the closeness of the race over a thousand miles.
I decided that that’s something that I would like to do. At that time, shortly thereafter, I started gathering dogs and tried to put together a dog team. I finally made it to the starting line in 1989.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

I’m here today and involved with the Iditarod because a number of reasons. One, the Iditarod is more than just a dog race. It’s really sort of a parallel or metaphor, to some extent, for life, in that it’s overcoming obstacles, perseverance and comradery, not to mention the beautiful nature and wilderness experience and just really the spirit of Alaska. I truly hope that the event continues in the form that it is now.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences.

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was in my first race, which was on the southern route, coming up the Yukon prior to getting to Eagle Island, which at that time was a checkpoint. But there was a homestead there, Blackburn or [Braeburn 00:03:08]. I don’t remember for sure the name. But there were people that were living there. It was not a formal checkpoint, but they had a sign outside that said “Mushers, stop in.” It was very cold, cold like 30 or 32 below cold. It was the middle of the night. I was traveling with one other person. We knocked on the door. They got up and were obviously very tired, but greeted us incredibly warmly, gave us rolls and coffee. That has always stuck with me as kind of part of the spirit of the race.

What in life do you know for sure?

In life, there’s going to be ups and downs. There’s going to be adversity, and you’ve out to keep on persevering. A lot of that shows up in the Iditarod. But there’s a lot of very positive things there that you just need to make sure that you are aware of.