Iditarod Trail Invitational 2013

[Damnitman]

Bob Ostrom has finished the 1100 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska!  The race to Nome is the oft forgotten, bigger, meaner sibling of the 350 mile ITI race to McGrath that Jay Petervery won this year.  Bob passed under the Burled Arch in Nome sometime this morning (approximately 8 am) after 20 days and 16 hours on the trail.  First Place Bike and First Place Overall!  Not bad for his rookie attempt at Nome.

[ScottM]

Any Iditarod experts out there?

I glanced at the 1000 times--are we in for a new bike record?  Old record has stood for 10+ yrs right?

Edit--never mind--I was looking at a table with a start time/day from McGrath

Yeah, MC's overall Nome record is still the longest standing bikepacking race record out there.  From 2000!

It was fun to follow along with Mike (touring) and Bob and the rest out there racing this year.

Oh.... Nome....

[sean salach]

Go Bob!!

Mike's 15 day record is beyond impressive, and the fact that 2nd and 3rd were within a few hours of his time only makes it more so. It was really exciting this year watching Dave come that close to Steve's record. It will be awesome to see when/if someone makes a serious threat to Mike's. It could end up being one of those incredibly long standing records, like Bill Spencer's currently 32 year old Mt Marathon record.

Scott, although the course is no longer run on the same route, the old Iditabike 100/Su 100 record, held by the 'Euro roadies' of 8:47 or something is longer standing than Mike's record, I believe. Although it's only 100 miles, it requires a full supply of bikepacking gear and often takes people, including the winners, more than 24hrs to complete. I've only heard rumor of that record though. Mike could probably provide more details.