Everything this year was just better. I learned a lot last year. I was more organized and more confident going into this year. I knew I could do it.

Thousands of people were there watching me prepare ... they started getting in the way, getting into our space.

We made it. I'm just looking forward to sleeping and taking a shower.

It was so flat and so early in the morning, it was hard not to doze. I woke up in jumbled ice and no other dog tracks.

I figured if anybody could catch my dogs, it would be him.

We have some of the best mushers in the world here and also some first-timers, too.