Mushers Takeoff For 37th Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon Despite No Fans

DULUTH, Minn.-With a different starting line, warmer weather, and no spectators, the 37th John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon looked different. But to mushers and their dogs, the trail experience looks to be the same.

“Having this race happen is huge not only for the mushers and the fans but for the dogs,” said returning champ Ryan Redington. “You hear how excited they are?”

Dog yips and barks echoed around the hills of Tischer Road in rural Duluth, as the teams were wound up and ready to set out on the 300-mile journey to Grand Portage.

“I just wish all the mushers the best of luck and I can’t wait to be out on the trail with them,” Redington said.

Even though the race will lack spectators cheering from the sidelines, for mushers like Redington, the dogs are all that matter on the course.

“When I’m racing I’m more focused like the dogs and the trail,” he said. “I don’t try to mingle too much for me it’s not gonna be too much of a difference out on the trail.”

But for younger racers like 20-year-old Carlie Beatty — running her second Beargrease 40, which ends in Two Harbors — the sound of cheering fans is something she’s going to miss.

“From the year I did it before it was really fun to give high fives as we went across the start and everything and the finish,” said Beatty. “So this year it’s gonna be a bit different.”

“But I think it’ll still be fun and we’re able to have the handlers so that’s nice,” she said.

Before any of the teams begin, announcer Ken Buehler sends off the spirit of John Beargrease with a “Miigwech!”

The race’s namesake, Beargrease was the son of an Anishinaabe chief who delivered the mail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais between 1879 and 1899.

Then Redington takes off, leading the 2021 slate of 17 marathon mushers.

Winning the Beargrease back in 2018 as well as last year, he said this year’s unseasonable weather will prove no problem for his team as he works to defend his title. “I love the warmer temperatures.”

“We train in the warmer temperatures. So I feel like it is more of an advantage,” said Redington. “We’ll bootie the dogs a little bit less but that’s just to help keep their feet cool, and the protection as much when it’s this warm.”

Meanwhile, Beatty says she’s looking forward to the added speed with less snow.

“If there was more snow we would’ve gone a bit slower and let the dogs kinda take their own pace,” she said, “but today I’ll kinda pace them out in the beginning and then let them go.” But of course, it’s all up to the dogs.

“Actually the dogs are the athletes in this so it’s really fun to let them do what they want to do,” said Beatty.

Every year, each Beargrease musher comes with their own motivation.

“Running dogs is something like no other sport,” said the second-timer, Beatty. “Men and women can do it, at all ages and you’re all competitive against each other.”

For some others, competing is a matter of national pride. “I’m from Jamaica,” said Newton Marshal.

“I’m probably the only person from the Caribbean, who’s doing this,” he said. “They have no other person from the Caribbean so it’s kinda nice for me, it’s a good feeling. It’s good for, it’s good for us. As a nation.”

Marshal hails from the Caribbean, but lives in Wisconsin. He’s competed in other races like the Iditarod — but this is his first time ever mushing here in the Northland.

“My thought is to expect the unexpected out there,” he said.

With a long journey ahead, all the mushers in all races say ultimately their dogs are the stars of the show. “If the dogs having fun, I’m having fun,” said Marshal.

“It’s really important for the dogs to have this race,” Redington said. “We train all year for it and they enjoy it so much and this is what they live for.”

You can track the progress of the mushers on the trail here.