Comments on: New race rules under debate; we chat with musher Zack Steer http://iditarod.aprn.org/2007/04/25/new-race-rules-under-debate-we-chat-with-musher-zack-steer/ Race from Anchorage to Nome with the Alaska Public Radio Network Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:16:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Billdeberg http://iditarod.aprn.org/2007/04/25/new-race-rules-under-debate-we-chat-with-musher-zack-steer/#comment-1330 Billdeberg Sun, 29 Apr 2007 07:03:58 +0000 http://iditarod.aprn.org/index.php/2007/04/25/new-race-rules-under-debate-we-chat-with-musher-zack-steer/#comment-1330 They've been trying to figure out how to assure that the dogs get enough rest ever since the race started. If they add a mandatory rest stop at a checkpoint then most racers will run right through other checkpoints to get to the rest point. If they mandate rest at every checkpoint (equal run/equal rest) then noone will stop in between checkpoints. You could calculate run times between checkpoints and mandate an equal amount of rest at the checkpoints of the musher's choice instead of at every checkpoint. But really I think dogs are still going to get tired and a few are going to die no matter how much they rest because of chaos theory- i.e.- stuff happens... They’ve been trying to figure out how to assure that the dogs get enough rest ever since the race started. If they add a mandatory rest stop at a checkpoint then most racers will run right through other checkpoints to get to the rest point. If they mandate rest at every checkpoint (equal run/equal rest) then noone will stop in between checkpoints.

You could calculate run times between checkpoints and mandate an equal amount of rest at the checkpoints of the musher’s choice instead of at every checkpoint.

But really I think dogs are still going to get tired and a few are going to die no matter how much they rest because of chaos theory- i.e.- stuff happens…

]]>