Mushing

First Paw Media
  • 4.8 (39)
  • WILDERNESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Mushing is a podcast from First Paw Media that follows the sport of dog mushing, the Iditarod, and races worldwide. Mushing is hosted by best-selling author Robert Forto (A Musher's Dream) and a team of co-hosts that bring a unique perspective to the show. During the Iditarod race each March, the show is a daily podcast that covers the race with an in-depth analysis you won't find anywhere else. In the off-season, hear interviews with mushers, behind-the-scenes news, and updates. Popular guests: Emily Robinson, Jesse Holmes, Ryan Redington, Barb Redington, Lance Mackey, Brenda Mackey, Jason Mackey, Anna and Kristy Berington, Rohn Buser, DeeDee Jonrowe, and more. Popular Podcast topics: Iditarod race stories and analysis, dryland mushing and off-season racing, interviews with mushers and racers, race preparation and training strategies, sled dog kennel life and dog care, Yukon Quest and other major races, mushing history and heritage, global mushing perspectives (international races), canicross and alternative mushing formats Community and culture in the mushing world, and more.

  1. 1D AGO

    Day 4 Iditarod Coverage: Race Standings, Matt Hall Profile, and Expedition Class Discussion

    In this Day 4 update of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, teams are settling into the strategic middle portion of the race as many mushers begin taking their mandatory 24-hour rests. Jessie Holmes earns the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award for being the first musher to reach McGrath. day-4-iditarod The episode also features an in-depth conversation with musher and biology teacher Jonathan Hayes from Maine. Hayes shares insights from his 30 years of dog mushing, including his participation in the Centennial Serum Run expedition and his work preserving the historic Seppala Siberian sled dog bloodlines. day-4-iditarod The discussion dives into race strategy, including how mushers plan their run-rest schedules, how trail conditions influence decisions during long-distance races, and how the new Expedition Class may affect the future of the Iditarod. The episode also includes a musher profile of Matt Hall and a historical look back at the 1976 Iditarod race. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    51 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Iditarod Day 3 Update: Jessie Holmes Leads, First Scratch Reported, and Tough Trail Conditions

    In this Day 3 update from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, teams are pushing through challenging terrain across the Alaska Range as leaders approach the race’s early checkpoints. Jessie Holmes currently holds the lead while several mushers rest and prepare for their mandatory 24-hour breaks. The episode covers the first scratch of the race after rookie musher Jaye Foucher suffered a crash that destroyed much of her sled and equipment near Rainy Pass. The discussion also highlights the impact of heavy snow and difficult trail conditions that are testing mushers, gear, and teams. Listeners also learn about mandatory gear requirements, the historic checkpoint village of Takotna and its famous pies, and the story of Expedition Class musher Kjell Inge Røkke. The episode wraps with a look back at a memorable moment in Iditarod history and the ongoing evolution of sponsorship and merchandise in the race. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    28 min

  3. 3D AGO

    Iditarod 54 Day One Update: Leaders Push Past Rainy Pass and Expedition Class Raises Questions

    The 2026 Iditarod is officially underway, and the first 24 hours of racing are already shaping the early storylines. Defending champion Jessie Holmes leads the field near mile 188 as teams push through Finger Lake, the Steps, Rainy Pass, and the Gorge on their way toward Rohn. Early reports from the trail indicate strong winds reaching up to 50 miles per hour across the Alaska Range, creating challenging conditions for mushers and their dog teams. Robert and Michele Forto break down the early race standings, discuss how tightly packed the field remains, and analyze the significance of the first major trail section. They also examine the debut of the new Iditarod Expedition Class, a program allowing non-competitive participants to experience the thousand-mile trail through a pay-to-participate model. The conversation explores the financial realities facing the Iditarod, including new funding streams and sponsorship challenges. The hosts also profile rookie musher Richie Beattie and share a memorable moment from Iditarod history featuring Joe May’s record-setting 1980 victory. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    33 min

  4. 4D AGO

    2026 Iditarod Willow Restart: Teams Hit the Trail, Trailgate Stories, and Early Race Strategy

    The 2026 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially began from the Willow Restart and the teams are now on the trail heading toward the Alaska Range. In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, Robert and Michele Forto report directly from Willow, Alaska, after spending the afternoon in the staging area speaking with mushers, handlers, and fans before the start of the race. They share the atmosphere of the restart, including tailgate-style trail cooking for Paige Drobny’s team, conversations with sprint racers Bailey Vitello and Keaton Loebrich about sled design and race strategy, and an interview with rookie musher Jody Potts-Joseph from Eagle Village. The episode also features insights from the new Expedition Class mushers discussing why they chose to attempt the race and what this category could mean for the future of long-distance dog mushing. The show concludes with a musher profile of Wade Mars and a historical look back at Libby Riddles’ historic 1985 Iditarod victory during the new “Moment in Mushing History” segment. With the first miles already behind the teams and early leaders emerging on the tracker, the race has officially begun, and the strategies for the first night on the trail are starting to take shape. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    35 min

  5. 4D AGO

    The First Iditarod Race: Rod Perry’s Story from the Historic 1973 Trail

    What was it really like to race in the very first Iditarod in 1973? In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, host Robert Forto continues his conversation with Rod Perry, one of the original participants in the inaugural Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Rod shares firsthand stories from the historic race that helped shape Alaska’s most famous sporting event. Rod describes the atmosphere at the start of the race, when only a small crowd gathered at Tudor Track in Anchorage, long before the Iditarod became a global phenomenon. He explains how mushers assembled their teams from whatever dogs they could find, often borrowing animals or pulling together mismatched teams with little training. The discussion explores what it was like to race across Alaska in those early days. With few checkpoints, limited supplies, and almost no established infrastructure, mushers relied heavily on wilderness survival skills. Rod also recounts the story of his legendary lead dog, Fat Albert, and how that dog helped carry his team across the state. The episode also explores how dramatically the race has evolved. Early mushers ran with patched gear, homemade sleds, and minimal nutrition for their dogs, while modern racers compete with specialized equipment, professional training programs, and elite canine athletes. Rod concludes by describing the emotional moment of reaching Nome after nearly a month on the trail and reflecting on how the first Iditarod helped launch one of the world's most iconic endurance races. If you are interested in the history of dog mushing, the origins of the Iditarod, or the stories of the pioneers who helped build the sport, this episode offers a rare look into one of the most important chapters in sled dog racing history. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    40 min

  6. 5D AGO

    The 2026 Iditarod Begins: Ceremonial Start Recap from Anchorage

    The 54th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is officially underway, and it all began with the ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage. In this episode of The Burled Arch, hosts Robert and Michele Forto recap the energy, excitement, and controlled chaos of race day as mushers and their teams lined up along 4th Avenue for the traditional start of Alaska’s most famous race. Michele reports from the scene with interviews from handlers, fans, and even a few young future mushers while sharing what the crowd atmosphere looked like this year. The hosts also discuss the new Expedition Class, highlight a rookie musher to watch, and preview what fans can expect at the Willow restart as the race truly begins. If you follow the Iditarod or love sled dog racing, this episode gives you an insider’s perspective on the traditions, personalities, and moments that make the ceremonial start such a special part of the race. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    41 min

  7. 5D AGO

    Stanley Robinson Wins the 2026 Junior Iditarod | Next Generation of Dog Mushing

    In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, host Robert Forto speaks with 2026 Junior Iditarod Champion Stanley Robinson of Robinson Racing Kennel in Nenana, Alaska. Stanley discusses what it felt like to cross the finish line of his first Junior Iditarod victory and how his dogs performed in the cold conditions of the 150-mile race. Stanley comes from a deep mushing family background, with his sister a four-time Junior Iditarod champion and his father an Iditarod veteran. During the conversation, he talks about growing up with sled dogs, running traplines with his team, and managing race dogs alongside traditional working sled dogs. The episode also explores a remarkable adventure Stanley took with his family traveling from Nenana to Nome along the Iditarod Trail, giving listeners a firsthand look at life on Alaska’s historic mushing routes. Listeners will hear about Stanley’s race strategy, his lead dog Vicky, and what the future may hold, including a possible run in the Iditarod in the coming years. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    30 min

  8. 6D AGO

    Iditarod 54 Ceremonial Start Preview: Bib Draw, Top 5 Predictions, and Rookie of the Year Picks

    The 2026 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is about to begin, and the excitement is building across Alaska. In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, hosts Robert and Michele Forto preview the upcoming race with a deep look at the ceremonial start in Anchorage, the official restart in Willow, and the full bib draw and starting order for this year’s field of mushers. ceremonial-start They also share their predictions for the race, including their top five contenders to reach Nome and their Rookie of the Year picks. With past champions like Jessie Holmes, Pete Kaiser, and Ryan Redington in the field, the 2026 race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years. The episode also introduces a new segment, Memorable Moments in Mushing History, highlighting the story of the first Iditarod in 1973 and the incredible effort that launched the race into the global spotlight. If you are planning to attend the ceremonial start in Anchorage or the restart in Willow, this episode also includes helpful information about parking, travel logistics, and what fans can expect on race weekend. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact. Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    37 min
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4.8
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Mushing is a podcast from First Paw Media that follows the sport of dog mushing, the Iditarod, and races worldwide. Mushing is hosted by best-selling author Robert Forto (A Musher's Dream) and a team of co-hosts that bring a unique perspective to the show. During the Iditarod race each March, the show is a daily podcast that covers the race with an in-depth analysis you won't find anywhere else. In the off-season, hear interviews with mushers, behind-the-scenes news, and updates. Popular guests: Emily Robinson, Jesse Holmes, Ryan Redington, Barb Redington, Lance Mackey, Brenda Mackey, Jason Mackey, Anna and Kristy Berington, Rohn Buser, DeeDee Jonrowe, and more. Popular Podcast topics: Iditarod race stories and analysis, dryland mushing and off-season racing, interviews with mushers and racers, race preparation and training strategies, sled dog kennel life and dog care, Yukon Quest and other major races, mushing history and heritage, global mushing perspectives (international races), canicross and alternative mushing formats Community and culture in the mushing world, and more.

Information

  • Channel
    First Paw Media
  • Creator
    First Paw Media | Mushing.com
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    244
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2010-2026 First Paw Media
  • Show Website
    Mushing
  • Provider
    Robert Forto

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