Lance Mackey

About Lance...

Born and raised in Alaska, Lance Mackey has grown up around dog mushing and tough times. His father, Dick Mackey, was one of the founders of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race ,which was officially organized in 1973. It is a grueling 1,200 mile sled dog race across Alaska's wilderness. Dick went on to win the 1978 Iditarod race by ONE second. Alaskans still talk about that great race. In 1983, Lance's oldest brother, Rick , was the winner of the Iditarod. For Lance, this was his legacy, as a son, as a brother and as an up and coming dog musher. Lance wanted to win the Iditarod also. This dream almost ended when he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2001 and underwent extensive surgery as well as radiation treatment.

Determined to move forward. Lance started the 2002 Iditarod with a feeding tube still in place in his stomach but had to drop out of the race halfway into it. Lance took 2003 off to regroup. For the next several years he continued to run dogs and dream of winning the Iditarod. In 2005 he entered the Yukon Quest, another challenging 1,000 mile sled dog race, winning it in his rookie year. Repeating that in 2006, 2007 & 2008 making him the only 4 time Yukon Quest Champion in history. In 2007, he returned to the Iditarod also. Again he beat the odds and did what was previously thought to be impossible, he won both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod in the same year and within two weeks of each other. He repeated that feat in 2008. In 2009 he won the Iditarod again, defeating intense competition and severe weather. Perhaps his greatest personal accomplishment is that he has been honored on both the Quest and the Iditarod for taking the best care of his dogs, who he considers to be the true champions.

Lance demonstrates the true spirit of what Alaskans are. His incredible back to back Quest and Iditarod championships show his grit, determination, and his appetite for "tough". He has been nominated twice for national ESPY awards losing only to the likes of Tiger Woods.

Lance will say "tell me it can't be done,... I'll give it everything I’ve got to prove that it can. Can't is a word that I do not want to understand. I always try to do my very best, I may not always finish number one, but it will always be the best I can do".

Lance has worked very hard to be where he is today and sacrificed beyond most peoples' comprehension. He is a husband, married to his high school sweetheart, Tonya, a father, a cancer survivor, a 3 time Iditarod Champion, a 4 time Yukon Quest Champion and a down to earth, regular guy. He has served as an inspiration for countless numbers of people.

It's attitude and appetite that make him who he is. He constantly reminds us that “Dreams can and do come true”.

Lance's father, Dick Mackey, was one of the founders of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race which was officially organized in 1973. He then won the race in 1978 by ONE second. Alaskans still talk about that race. Lnce has three brothers and a sister, all of whom are involved in dog racing. His oldest brother, Rick Mackey, was the winner of the 1983 Iditarod.

Lance has raced dogs in regional events throughout Alaska, He ran in 4 Jr. Iditarods and made 2001 his first year to compete in the last great race, the Iditarod. In 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008 he won the Yukon Quest. In March of 2007, he became the third Mackey to become an Iditarod Champion. This was a life long dream of mine as far back as he can remember. He said at the finish line in Nome..."Dreams do come true" as he embraced his mom. He went on to win the 2008 & 2009 Iditarod as well. This put Lance in the record books as the ONLY musher to EVER win both thousand mile races back to back and he did it twice.

Dog racing is an important part of Alaska’s heritage as well as a popular sport throughout the world. For the Mackey family, it’s a way of life.