HUMAN

Name: Glenn Behan

Age: 50

Residence: Toms River, New Jersey
Occupation: Veterinarian 

Years involved with Iditarod: This is my 6th
Iditarod Role: Trail veterinarian

Current Location: Ophir, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 12, 2020
Temperature: 0F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with Iditarod after watching a documentary on, I think it was Lance Mackey’s, first run where he was in close competition with Jeff King. And shortly after that, I was at a conference in 2008 on Nantucket in Massachusetts, and the speaker was Justine Lee, who is also a trail veterinarian. She showed some pictures from the trail, and during lunch I went up and asked her, “So how do you become a trail veterinarian?” And she gave me some contact numbers, most specifically Joanne Potts. And next thing I know, I made a few contacts and all of a sudden Stu Nelson called me at work and said I could be a trail veterinarian. And here I am.

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

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod because I love the dogs. And more than that, I love all the people that I meet on the trail, whether it be veterinarians, checkers, comms people, villagers, spectators, photographers, whatever it might be. That’s what keeps me coming back, dogs and people.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was my first day out on the trail. It was in Yentna Station. And I really didn’t know what I was in for. And all of a sudden six o’clock rolls around and the dogs start coming in. And all of a sudden, it’s just pure chaos, and I’m freezing, and my toes are cold. And after about two hours, I said to myself, “I am never doing this again. There’s not a chance.” And by the end of the night, your toes warm up and you realize how great it was and I needed to come back. And I’ll come back every other year for as long as I can.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is that the sun’s going to come up, and the sun is going to set. And that’s probably about it. Everything else is very variable and you just have to be ready for it, because it could change on a minute-by-minute basis.