In Nikolai: Aliy Zirkle

What will it take to make it to Nome in first place? Veteran musher Aliy Zirkle says she’ll need “a good dog team” and a double dose of luck.

Zirkle spoke with us at the Nikolai checkpoint on Tuesday; she reflected a bit on the trail thus far, the balance between race strategy and race reality, and more:

As of late Tuesday night, Aliy Zirkle had pulled out of the McGrath checkpoint in 14th position with 15 dogs.