FEATURE STORY
when it’s -25C with a 15-knot headwind!
That night it was hard to relax as the
30-knot wind clawed at the tiny cabin and
the wood stove struggled to heat the
space. Meanwhile outside the temperature
was -30C but the most incredible aurora
show made it hard to stay inside and sleep.
Planning and preparation paid off and I
managed the 30-mile crossing over the sea
ice in seven and a half hours.
At 8:59pm, May 17, 2016 I crossed under
the burled arch in Front St, Nome. I
proudly became the first Australian to
complete the 1000-mile race and it was an
awesome feeling to raise the flag and
represent Australia in one of the toughest
races on the planet. Friends and family
back home were able to celebrate via
Iditarod webcams and my GPS tracker. It
was Friday afternoon in Australia and from
what I’ve heard, not much work was done
after 2pm with wine glasses clinked, a
social media frenzy and a lot of chatter
about the successful completion. I quietly
celebrated with the last of my M&Ms.
This is such a unique race that requires
physical endurance, an adaptable attitude,
knowledge of your body and your bike
(and how to fix them both), a solo mindset
and confidence in remote, arctic
environments. It won’t be the last time I
race Iditarod as I’m heading back in 2017
to race the longer, tougher and more
remote South route. If I complete it I’ll have
achieved my planned trifecta of all three
distances in consecutive years.
I will be detailing the race stories further
on my blog, so drop in sometime and
check it here:
http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au
WEB RESOURCES
http://iditarodtrailinvitational.com
http://www.alaskaeuropeanbb.com
QUICK FACTS
CALORIES BURNT/DAY: APPROX 9000
CALORIES CONSUMED/DAY: APPROX 5000
FAVE FOOD: BONK BREAKER PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOC CHIP
SLEEPING BAG: EXPED WATERBLOC 1200
SLEEPING PAD: THERMAREST RIDGEREST SOL
BIKE: MURU CYCLES WITJIRA (TITANIUM)
WHEELS: HED BFD 100MM CARBON, TUNE KING/KONG HUBS
TYRES: DILLINGER 5 STUDDED, TUBELESS
SPONSORS: FE SPORTS, OLYMPUS AU, RIDE MECHANIC,
MURU CYCLES, DAWSON SPORTS
MAIN CLOTHING OUTER L AYERS: SALOMON SOFT SHELL
BASE L AYERS AND KNICKS: LOUIS GARNEAU
BOOTS: 45NRTH WOLFGAR
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