John Beargrease sled dog marathon

Bill Boyd
Bill Boyd, of Warroad, Minn. runs his dogs along the trail near the starting line of the 130-mile Mid-Distance version of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, in Duluth, Minn., on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010. The race is named for John Beargrease, a Chippewa Indian who delivered mail along the North Shore by dogsled in the late 1800s.
AP Photo/The Country Today, Paul M. Walsh

Some 30 teams of mushers and their dogs are hitting the trail in the 27th running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon on Sunday, Jan. 31.

Two-time defending champion Jason Barron of Lincoln, Mont., is slated to try for a record third consecutive win. The winning team is expected to cross the finish line sometime Wednesday.

Teams entered in the mid-distance race also set out from Duluth on Sunday and are expected to finish in Tofte on Monday.

The race is named for John Beargrease, a Chippewa Indian who delivered mail along the North Shore by dogsled in the late 1800s.

---

On the Net:

Beargrease 2010