Marianna Mallory, 17, used to live outside Nome and watched the Iditarod finish each year. That motivated her to begin mushing. She says, “I know it sounds unbelievable, but I started mushing before I was three years old.” She ran the Jr. Iditarod last year and won the Humanitarian Award. She says, “I am running a team of almost all two year olds. The most important thing about mushing to me is the care of your dogs. No matter where we place, my dogs should feel like they have won. That’s one thing I love about mushing. Your ego has no legitimate place on your team. It’s only you and the dogs.” A senior at Chugiak High School, she participates in the swim team. She says her hobbies are swimming, hiking and running. This summer she plans on working on Punchbowl Glacier for the Seavey’s Ididaride, and this fall she wants to do some traveling with her friend, Annie. She says, “yes”, she will continue mushing.