On the eve of the kickoff of the Iditarod Trail dog sled race, veteran Lance Mackey was a few blocks from the starting line at 6th Avenue Outfitters, where he met enthusiasts and discussed with force.

Recruiter Blair Braverman, who hosted the event, had the chance to ask Mackey if he had any advice for him on the track.

"I guarantee you, Blair, that this race is going to change you, you know, it's all changing us in an addictive way," Mackey replied.

Mackey grew up in a mushing family. His father Dick won Iditarod in 1978, and it was around that time that Lance first remembered being on a sled.

He told the crowd that he had gone for a Christmas tree with his father and that the dogs had taken off with Lance in the sled. When he managed to climb on the runners and stop the sled, his father caught up with the team.

The only thing Elder Mackey said to the emerging musher was, "Do not tell your mother."

Mackey has had its share of physical challenges, ranging from cancer of the throat to the loss of a finger, to a recent sprint race by falling face down. He has not run Iditarod since 2016.

"The team is there, the pilot is a bit beaten," said Mackey. "I know what it takes to win Iditarod and I do not know if I have those physical abilities yet."

Mackey said that he's not physically, however, he mentally compensates.

"It is not necessary to win to succeed, right?" he said. "It's a very good bonus though."

He says the position in which he finishes is not relevant, but there will be moments on the track where the competitor in him will come out.

This will be Mackey's 15th Iditarod. His bib number is 44.

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