Musher from Saint John preps for demanding dog sled race

A dog musher from Saint John has adjusted his racing strategy for Manitoba's upcoming Hudson Bay Quest after taking the last place trophy two years in a row.

The Red Lantern trophy is a light-hearted consolation prize, but Justin Allen says even finishing the gruelling 400 kilometre trek from Gillam to Churchill, Manitobais a great feat.

"This is a wilderness survival race so just seeing the finish line feels good to me, it's a victory to me," Allen said Monday in an interview onInformation Morning Saint John.

"I'm really new to the sport, this is only my third year racing dogs, so I'm just building skills. I want to do the race in 40 hours this yearlast year it took me 47 so I'd like to see if I can improve that by seven hours this year."

Allen, a part-time hair stylist, moved to Churchillfour years agoand fell in love with dog sledding.

It's an expensive hobby at the kennel where he works, Allen estimates he and the owner spend an additional $10,000 to feed their tworace teams.

And he spends approximately $6,500 just in booties for his 10-dog team.

"The dogs wear them every run, we've got to protect their feet," said Allen. "They're like tires. If we let their feet get ruined we're not going anywhere."

Allen buys the booties from the United States, and because he lives in a remote community, getting them shipped costsabout the same as the product itself.

Some only last 48to 64 kilometres before holes form and snow gets in.

"We're constantly switching booties, every time I stop I'm checking booties, switching them in and out."

Warm-weather challenges

Allen says he's learned more about the sport with each attempt at the Hudson Bay Quest. This year he added a four-wheeler to his training to gain more control during their off-season runs without any snow.

"That way they've got the weight and I can control the speed. Because if I have a bicycle or light cart for example, if they don't want to stop they drag me along," he said.

"I have a young team this year, so I'm going to be cautious and conservative and watch them we trained hard, we've done lots of camping. They can run quite a long time and still feel good."

Allen is bracing for some warm-weather challenges on race day. The dogs perform their best in 25 C temperatures. Last year, temperatures rose to 6 Cduring the course.

"We have to stop more often, let them cool down and roll in the snow, it regulates their body temperature more," he said.

"When it's warm I'm going to have to stop a lot. You can't get your rhythm and go as much as you like, that's one obstacle you have to face."

The Hudson Bay Quest takes the best mushers 35 to 40 hours to complete, with a mandatory six hour pit stop at the halfway point.

Allen says his dogs will be getting more rest than him.

"This year I plan to get two hours sleep maximum when the dogs rest, I work," he said.

"I'll be prepping the next meal, organizing their booties, rubbing down the dogs, putting cream on their wrists and [plastic]wrap to keep the heat in my job begins when they sit down."

You can follow Allen's progress online on Thursday at the websitewww.hbqrace.com.