My wife, new girlfriend at the time, encouraged me to volunteer at the Marathon. On my first night at the Sawbill check-point, I was able to help handle dogs to their resting chutes and verbally guide mid-distance teams through the check point. I was struck by the energy and excitement the dogs, mushers, and spectators all shared in such a beautiful environment. During our honeymoon, unbeknownst to us, we ended up staying with with an Iditarod and Yukon Quest Veteran who started giving us dogs (4) to build our team. The love for the dogs, time in the wilderness, and a love for the cold are all what really synergized my interest into running dogs.