The ADVENTURE Top 10: Toughest Races

Text by Andrea Minarcek

After ten days of racing across 1,150 miles of frozen rivers, tundra, and jagged mountains, musher Lance Mackey crossed the finish line last Wednesday to claim first place in this year’s Iditarod. Reading the race reports (-40-degree headwinds! Snow-blown trails!), we were reminded of an eternal, universal truth: People will go to great lengths for the sports they love. Many call the Iditarod the Last Great Race on Earth, but we say it’s just one of many. These days nearly every activity has some kind of uber-, ultra-, X-treme race that claims to test its participants harder than the rest. But which are the toughest of the tough? Here’s our take on the Top 10:

10. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race: 'Nuff said. (Check out www.iditarod.com for race footage.)

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