Our next episode is with Thomas Wærner, an Iditarod Champion and Finnmarksløpet Champion, the two longest sled dog races in the world. He lives in Norway with his dogs while working a full-time job, and has spent decades surrounded by sled dogs — experiencing the wilderness, the hardships, and the rewards of the trail with them.This year, Thomas returns to the Iditarod for the first time since his win, bringing a new team of young dogs who have yet to see this trail. He isn’t aiming to finish first with them this year, but is building toward that goal in the years to come.Thomas is also close friends with Kjell Inge Røkke, a major Iditarod sponsor and this year’s Expedition Class musher — a new feature of the 2026 race. He’s looking forward to sharing the experience with Røkke while running his third Iditarod. Enjoy!Intro - 0:00Interview with Thomas - 25:25
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Episode 57 - Jessie Holmes
We had ourselves some good ole-fashioned, clean fun with "the guy from that Nat Geo show" and 2025 Iditarod Champion - Jessie Holmes! Out of pure journalistic instinct, we didn't dive too deep into the 'Rod - after all, the race's documentary already has that covered.Instead, our conversation took as many twists and turns as the Susitna River (which, fun fact, doesn't actually have that many). It was an enjoyable, free-flowing chat, and we hope you'll enjoy it just much as we did!Intro - 0:00Jessie interview - 26:43
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Episode 56 - Samantha LaLonde
In March, Samantha Lalonde made waves by winning Rookie of the Year in the Iditarod while working out of Dallas Seavey’s kennel in Talkeetna. Now, she and her partner Tucker are starting an exciting new chapter—building their own kennel - Lost Sourdough Outfitters, just outside of Fairbanks, surrounded by their own pack of Alaskan Huskies. While they’re gearing up to race in various events in the winters to come, they’re also looking forward to simply enjoying the trails at their own pace in Interior Alaska.Sam was an absolute blast to chat with—fun, thoughtful, and full of great stories. It was also awesome seeing her out on the trail this year. You don’t want to miss this one!Intro - 0:00Sam - 27:24#MushingAlaska #Iditarod #DogMushing #AlaskaLife #RookieOfTheYear #SledDogs #WomenWhoMush #Fairbanks #NewEpisode
Our guest - Libby Riddles made history as the first woman to win the 1,000-mile Iditarod in 1985, racing through brutal conditions and proving her grit on Alaska’s toughest trail. She ran the Iditarod throughout the '80s and returned for one more run in 1995.Before her historic win, she trained and lived in Teller, Alaska, north of Nome on the Seward Peninsula. These days, she spends winters with her small dog team in the hills of the Kenai Peninsula, and in the summer, she shares her stories with cruise ship guests in Alaska’s capital.We had an incredible conversation packed with stories, insight, and wisdom from a true trailblazer. Don't miss this one — tune in and enjoy!#Iditarod #LibbyRiddles #DogMushing #AlaskaPodcast #WomenInHistory #SledDogs #MushingAlaska
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