HUMAN

Name: MICHI KONNO
Age: 56
Residence: WILLOW, ALASKA
Occupation: MUSHER/TOUR GUIDE
Years involved with Iditarod: THIS IS 2ND TIME
Iditarod Role: MUSHER
Current Location: KALTAG, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 10, 2019
Temperature: 30F / OUTDOORS

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

BECAUSE BEFORE I WAS A SPRINT MUSHER. SO I WON IN ’98 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP. I GET TO MOVE HERE. I MEET JOE REDINGTON, SR. AND HE SAID THAT “YOU NEED TO RUN IDITAROD. YOU MUST GO IDITAROD” I SAY, “NO, NO, NO, NO! NEXT YEAR I TRY” — BUT, “NO, NO, NO, NO, YOU TRY THE IDITAROD.” LATER, 20 YEARS, I TRY IT.

What do you know for sure?:

MAYBE THIS MEANS I CAN SPEAK ENGLISH BETTER, BUT NEVER GIVE UP.