About Angie

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My Dream, My Love and My Life . . .

     I grew up and have lived most of my life in Ketchikan, Alaska. I was the first person from Ketchikan to compete in and complete the Iditarod. This will be my second running of Iditarod. I completed the 2011 Iditarod in 13 days 1 hour 49 minutes and 24 seconds. I came in 43rd out of 63 mushers. I had the time of my life and I hope to take what I learned on my inaugural run and improve on my second run down the trail to Nome!!
     I have been teaching school for 10 years. Some of the community activities I am/have been involved in are: Master's Swimming, assistant-coaching for the Killer Whale Swim Team, sailing with the Yacht Club, and co-president of Delta Kappa Gamma, a teachers' society.
     My dream to run the Iditarod began forming during 2001, the year I was a dog-handler for a musher.
In order to qualify to run the 2011 Iditarod, I needed to complete 500 miles in sanctioned sled-dog races. I completed my 500 qualifying miles on April 3rd, 2009.
     I am very excited to represent Ketchikan, my home and my community, for the second time in the Iditarod.

Running For Breast Cancer Awareness

      This summer my mom was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. She underwent a double mastectomy in June and she is going through chemotherapy for the next four months concluding her treatment with 6 weeks of radiation.
      This year I will be running  for breast cancer awareness, all monies that are not used for my Iditarod 2013 run will be donated to a breast cancer charity of my mom’s choice!

23 comments:

Unknown said...

The Iditarod is dog torture. Read the quotes on helpsleddogs.org.

Unknown said...

Wow, GD! Another thoughtful comment from someone who has never seen the race, doesn't know any mushers, hasn't been to Alaska, and has no experience with sled dogs! Thanks for sharing.
Joann Flora
Proud Team Taggart Sponsor
ITC Member
Resident of Alaska

Unknown said...

Angie,

I have watched the Iditarod from my home in New York City for years, and am happy to see another new person realize their dream. I will be rooting for you - this time from Alaska, as I have made the plans to be there in 2011!

Chris

Mimi Eddy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mimi Eddy said...

ME: it was fine when the dogs were mushing to Nome to save the people from their sickness. The dogs love the run! You should hear them! They are so excited to get out and go! If it is torture on anyone it is on the humans-the cold, lack of sleep and the loneliness! You should go to Anchorage and Nome and watch the dogs as they are getting ready to start and to finish. They have better treatment now than they did when the first run was done. There is a vet in about every stop and if they don't feel the dogs can make it the dogs are pulled from the race and sent back home!

Unknown said...

Home sweet shack! Looking good Angie! Just like camping. At least your shack is bigger than the dog houses. I love all the colors. Who says a dog yard has to be gray and drab. Some friends of mine are moving to Nome; one of them just got a job there. Looks like I'll have a piece of floor for the end of the race. I plan to be there to cheer you in!!
Joann

Unknown said...

Hi Angie! My husband and I visited your camp while on our cruise, and have been keeping up with your blog since returning home to South Carolina! Good luck in all you do, and thanks for sharing with the world awareness of sledding and how the dogs love it!

Mushing Towards Iditarod said...

Thanks for following Laura! Just got Internet access so I will be continuing with Athlete of the Week shortly.

Unknown said...

Hi Angie,

Nice article on 'swimmer turned musher' Taggart in December's Swimmer Magazine. Good pix, too! Can we send you a copy or have you seen it?

Joann

Unknown said...

Hi Angie,
After going on a sleddog cruise excursion in Skagway in '08, I came home and ordered supplies over the internet for dogscootering. My german shepherd and yellow lab love it and turn many heads in Reno, Nevada doing dryland dogsledding. Now I read about you in my Swimmer magazine. You go girl! I will be following and cheering you along every step of the way.
Kiely

Unknown said...

I love dogs, have always loved dogs, and would never ever encourage anything that would hurt a dog. In 2009 I experienced Alaksa and my first Iditarod. We went to Martin Buser's home and saw his dogs. I think I petted each one of them! Iditarod dogs LOVE what they do. You just need to look in their faces when they are running. They are having the time of their lives.
I encourage anyone to go to Alaksa and experience this event first hand before judging.
I'm going to follow Angie this year. You go girlfriend!
Debra
Emerald Hills, CA

Unknown said...

We're really happy for you, Angie! On to the next race. Looking forward to seeing you in Nome! Mush!

Unknown said...

We're really happy for you, Angie! On to the next race. Looking forward to seeing you in Nome! Mush!

Bettie said...

Angie,
We met in June of 2010 at the sled dog training camp while on a cruise/land tour. We are following you and look forward to the Iditarod in March. Good luck!

Bettie and Doris

Billy said...

Angie! We are getting geared up to follow your race. Not much coverage of it down here on TV probably but maybe this site will be updated by one of your friends? We are so very proud of this accomplishment in your life and hope you will be not only the first person from Ketchikan but the first person to win! from Ketchikan!

Bill and Julie Brewster
Gig Harbor, WA

MoKate said...

Hi Angie! I'm so proud of you! Its so cool that I can say that I grew up with an Iditarod competitor! LOL! I can't wait to follow you during the race. Hopefully we can get some coverage over here, if not, I'll be on-line a lot. You go K-town girl!!! :o) Mo

Unknown said...

Angie,

i hope you win my class is doing a giant report of the iditarod in math and we were assigned a person and i got you i was one of the only one that got a rookie but i didn't care i have been following you since December i really hope you win

Mizzy said...

Good luck! My daughter and her entire class @ TSAS are following the run and cheering for you! K-Town girls can do ANYTHING :)

swordwhale said...

Hooray for living your dream. And for teaching, and encouraging kids to read read read! My hometown is fairly small and narrowminded to an extent but books opened up the whole world to me. Hope you also have opportunities to educate folks about mushing and dog-powered sports. We are far far from the days of "Call of the Wild"... the dogs (including my several rescued Siberians) LOVE to run, and pull, and putting yourself on wheels (here in PA we don't have a lot of the right kind of snow)allows them to run to their hearts content; and no one makes them run farther than that.

(Amused to see your swim team was "killer whales", I illustrate as "swordwhale" (orca). Mush on! Can't wait to follow the race!

Unknown said...

hey angie, its sarah and im here with my bestie luvy. we just want to let you know we hope you win the iditarod. you are doing great for a rookie! keep it up hun!!! good luck :) !!! and make sure to eat tonz of takoz when yuh get home!! have fun :D !!
^^^
(___) <-- yummy tako :)

Unknown said...

Angie, Bloom & I are with you every step of the way, watching now at Iditarod site and saw the starts this weekend on GCI. You look great! Take it smart & come to Nome. I'm bringing the smoked salmon for you!! hugs, Joann & Bob

Cousin Barb said...

Hi Angie, Charlene & John: so happy to see that you've finished and hope all is well. Anxious to read all about it!!I hope you have felt all the well wishes, hopes and prayers that were sent your way. We love y'all. Cousin Barb in Tuscon.

Cousin Barb said...

Sorry, I inadvertantly mispelled Tucson!!! Blame it on my head cold! Much Love. Barb