Rootin' for Newton
A day by day account of Newton's progress in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, as carried live 7-20 March 2010

By now we know all about Newton Marshall and the rest of the Jamaica Dogsled Team. Just over a year ago we followed Newton and his amazing dogs as they negotiated the bleak and treacherous course of the Yukon Quest. Our amazing man and dogs crossed the finish line in thirteenth position. Well, Dear Reader, it's time to be amazed again! On March 6th Newton and his team take on the Iditarod, the other prestigious race of the dog sledding world. The course starts at Anchorage and meanders over snow and ice for 1150 miles (1800km) to end in Nome roughly ten days later. Just as with the Yukon Quest last year we will be carrying daily updates so keep checking in. Mush Mon!

Official Start 7th March 2010 at 1:35pm (5:45 in Jamaica EST)

First update: At just after midnight, our time, Newton reached the first checkpoint at Yentna. 115 miles.

8th: Newton reached the 3rd checkpoint, Finger Lake, at 09:28 (1:28pm EST). He's now gone 194 miles.

8th: Newton left Finger Lake at 15:00 (7:00pm EST). Next stop Rainy Pass, 30 miles away.

9th: Newton left Rainy Pass at 01:45 (5:45am EST). Next stop Rohn, 48 miles away.

9th: Newton arrived in Rohn at 14:33 (6:33pm EST). Newton is running near the back of the field but there are near blizzard conditions and a strong head wind. Flights in and out of checkpoints are grounded. Five mushers have dropped out. Newton is soldiering on, pushing his team as fast as they will go but no further as he always thinks of his dogs. The race is roughly a third of the way complete.

10th: Newton pulled in to Nikolai at 23:26 (3:26am EST). Next checkpoint McGrath, 54 miles away. Newton has made up six places overnight and is now at 48th. Of the original eighty entrants, sixty-six are still in the race. We are "Rootin' for Newton" to come in the top 50% and hold our breath that he will do even better!

10th: Newton reached McGrath at 15:31 (7:31pm EST). He will take his mandatory 24hr rest before heading for the next checkpoint, Takotna, just 18 miles away.

11th: After the required layover, Newton is on the trail again at 17:39 (9:39pm EST) on his way to Takotna and then Ophir.

12th: Newton reached Ophir at 23:45 (3:45am EST). He has now completed 444 miles, with 668 more to go. Next stop Cripple, 59 miles away. The top 10 mushers are at roughly the half way point, Newton is in 49th position. His coach, Lance, is in second position. Of the 80 competitors who entered the race, 63 are still mushing.

12th: Newton left Ophir at 10:59 (2:59pm EST). Next stop Cripple, 59 miles away.

13th: Newton arrived in Cripple at 22:30 (2:30am EST) and left at 11:08 (3:08pm EST). Next he heads for Ruby,  112 miles away. This is the longest leg of the race and will take him past the half-way point. It is reported that the entire town of 130 people are waiting to see him!

13th: Arrived in Ruby at 20:57 (12:57am EST).

14th: Left Ruby at 07:54 (10:54 EST). US changed to DST last night. Jamaica does not go on DST. Galena, 52 miles away, is the next stop.

14th: In to Galena at 14:36 (5:36 EST), out at 19:30 (10:30 EST). Nulato is next, 52 miles.

15th: Newton reached Nulato at 02:29 (5:29am EST), left at 13:44 (4:44 EST). Next stop Kaltag 42 miles away.

15th: Arrived in Kaltag at 18:05 (9:05pm EST).

16th: Newton left Kaltag at 03:29 (6:29am EST) Another long haul as Unalakleet is 90 miles away. Newton and his team have now run three-quarters of the course. Looks like Newton's coach, Lance, might win the race as he is leading with less than 80 miles to go.

16th: Newton's coach, Lance Mackey, crossed the finish line at 14:59 (5:59pm EST), winning the Iditarod for the fourth time. Congratulations to him!

17th: Arrived at Unalakleet at 21:10 on the 16th (12:10am EST, 17th) and left at 03:00 (6:00am EST). Next is Shaktoolit, 42 miles away. Newton is currently in 47th position and has a total of 219 miles left to go. At 8:15am EST a total of 12 teams have crossed the finish line. 15 teams have dropped out along the way.

17th: Reached Shaktoolit at 09:00 (midday EST) and left at 14:29 (5:29pm EST. 48 miles to Koyuk.

18th: Newton arrived in Koyuk at 21:02 (12:02am) and left at 06:30 (9:30am EST). Next stop Elim, another 48 miles, at which point he would have completed almost 1000 miles!

18th: Arrived at Elim at 12:55 (3:55pm EST) and left at 18:05 (9:05pm EST). Next Golovin, 28 miles away. Less than 100 miles left to go.

19th: Newton has reached White Mountain! He got there at 00:27 (3:27am EST) and left at 08:32 (11:32am EST). On the home stretch now, only 77 miles to go.

19th: Newton just went through Safety at 15:48 (6:48pm EST) He should cross the finish line at about 8:00-9:00pm EST, 9:00-10:00EDT. 02:00am GMT, 20th March).

Newton crossed the Finish Line at 19:27:28 20th March, 2010 Alaska time.
10:27:28pm Jamaica time (EST) holding the Jamaican Flag high!

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