Jimmy Lanier, 16, says he started mushing two months before he was born. Mushing was the family business. His father has run the Iditarod 15 times since his first race in 1979 and his mom finished the race in 2000, so Jimmy comes by mushing naturally. This will be his second Jr. Iditarod. A junior at Chugiak High School, he participates in choir and baseball. He lists his hobbies as skiing, baseball, music and hunting. He also speaks Russian and Spanish. When asked what he plans to do after high school, he says he’ll be going to college and “maybe” will continue mushing.