Day 31: The Time Has Come
We often talk about these endurance events being a team effort: stronger together; if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together and so on. Diana Nyad swam from Cuba to Florida, and stumbling onto the beach she said “It looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team."
We cheered them on, and we watched the cutoff loom, and then pass us by, just as steady as Gavan has been moving past Little Mckinley and the Kwik River. Day after day. We’ve watched him play the smart game, the strong one, the patient one. He went to Alaska, and it pushed back, but he still won. He won without the team, solitary in his days and cold cabins. Hopefully comforted by inReach messages and the faint cheer from the satellite pinging his location for us dot watchers. He has missed the cutoff but is still going, communications throughout our tiny but very mighty community is a resounding “HE DID IT” a collective pride in the one who is the best of us, and has proven that over and over again.
Gavan will soon get to Golovin, where he will find the same greeting the rest had, the warmth and kindness of White Mountain will fill him up and he WILL get to Nome and he will not be there alone. We have to say goodbye for the moment, but at no point will anyone leave that Dot unwatched. We wish he could have made that cutoff, and yet… so much has transpired we’ve moved beyond that wish. An understanding of the true and absolute meaning of what this race is.
The 2026 Iditarod Trail Invitational will be remembered for a long time, it is already rooted deeply in our community and the stories will come and keep coming for years. We have seen it ALL this year, joyful tears and heartbreaking losses, blown-in trails, squeaky snow, and the Giant Wild that only Alaska can do. The biggest honor is hearing our stories be appreciated. What goes into this effort is multiple hours every single day, to near obsession and yes, heartbreak. This team of writers offer insight, their knowledge and talent, intel, stories, and emotional support. Yes, we were yelling at the dots, too! Below is a line up of some of our writers, each and every one put their heart and soul into this, those not listed are equally important in their contributions. Give a slow clap to the Wild Winter Women 2026 ITI team of writers:
Jessica Roschlan: Lives in Minnesota and works in the twin cities as an ICU nurse. After doing mostly road running in her 20’s, she was looking for a new challenge in her 30s and heard about the Arrowhead 135. While training for, and then finishing Arrowhead on foot in 2023, she fell in love with this type of winter adventuring and the community surrounding it. She has now added skiing and fat biking to her repertoire, with dreams of finishing the ITI 350 on foot one day. While writing about the ITI, Jessica learned a lot about the challenges of the course and the importance of being prepared for all types of emergency situations. She hopes that others were able to escape the stress of “real life” for a little bit while reading our recaps
Leah Gruhn started racing in winter ultramarathons in 2011 on skis. She quickly bought a fat bike and has been having way more fun on bike than skis. She likes to dream big, push herself, and encourage others to do the same. She has completed both the ITI in the 350-mile and 1,000-mile distances.
Faye Norby: Faye has been winter racing on foot since 2013, having finishes at the Tuscobia Winter Ultra, Arrowhead 135, Actif Epica, and the 350 and 1000 mile ITI. She will happily talk about ITI 24-7; you are forewarned.
Rebecca McVay-Brodersen took up endurance sports during the pandemic and hasn’t looked back. She quit smoking, drinking, lost 80 pounds, and is raising her two children, Chance and Aurora, alone. In the midst of big, scary changes, she fell in love with the idea of self-supported endurance endeavors. After watching a documentary about the ITI, she signed up for Tuscobia 80 in 2022 and has been working toward her qualifiers since. Living in Alaska has been a dream for 24 years; the ITI is now the north star guiding her home. She plans to move to Alaska once her teens are grown and hopes to race the ITI 1000 as a resident. She is thankful for the opportunity to contribute as a writer this year and is inspired by the kindness and support from the WWW and winter ultra community.
Rashelle Hintz has participated in winter ultras on foot since 2020, and also enjoys winter camping and self supported adventures. After growing up in Alaska, winter adventures offer the closest thing to a reminder of the solitude and vastness of Alaska, and she hopes you’ve felt some of that by following the ITI recaps.
Lynn Hall came to ITI by way of mountaineering, skiing, and ultra-running. She completed her first bike race (ever!) which was the 2025 edition of ITI, with her good friend Amanda Harvey for the entirety of the 350 miles. She is so shameless she’d love for you to know that she has a memoir coming out in 2027 about using the outdoors to overcome a chronic headache disorder. Lynn is grateful she had the opportunity to bond with the other WWW while dot watching this year; she hopes you feel the power and strength of this close-knit community as well as she does.
Amanda Harvey began her winter ultra journey in 2019 and has since completed the St Croix 40, Tuscobia 160 and Arrowhead 135. She has finished the ITI 350 twice and DNFed her first attempt in a spectacular fashion. She enjoyed getting to know her fellow Wild Winter Women this year and is inspired by their evocative writing.
Sarah Bergstrom started running two years ago, after a lifetime of intermittent chronic illness, during which time she enjoyed outdoor hiking and mountain biking in measured amounts. She was granted a reprieve over the last four years, using her time to explore rock climbing, and two years ago, trail running/racing, completing multiple 25k races. She became interested in winter ultras last year, but decided to attempt the Seely Classic and Birkebeiner ski races instead, finally attempting St. Croix 40 (to mile 30) this past January. Still a beginner, but learning fast with the help of WWW.
Allison Carolan lives in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, and works in healthcare/ medical rehabilitation. She has been running ultramarathons since 2009, and on the winter scene she is a St. Croix 40 finisher. Outside of ultras she enjoys any gritty remote off-grid expedition or adventure (backpacking, skiing, snowboarding, canoeing, winter camping) and also lifting heavy things in the gym with friends, and she is a very enthusiastic dot watcher.
Kari Gibbons is a two time finisher of the ITI 350, and completed the 1,000 mile on foot in 2025. Founder of the Wild Winter Women Facebook Group, finding purpose in sharing stories and gear. Doing the recaps is important because she wants to show how easy it is to have equal representation in sport, and ITI has the best opportunity for sharing trail, a good story, and being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
That is a wrap on ITI 2026, but you may hear from us one more time so stay tuned! Registration opens April 1st. Who will we be reporting on next year, will you answer the call?
Written by Kari Gibbons
Photo Credit Kendall Park
Thanks to Wild Winter Women -Kari Anne Gibbons,Amanda Harvey,Faye Norby,Jan Redmond Walker, Jessica Roschlan,Laura Wiesmann Hrubes,Allison Carolan,Leah Gruhn,Lynn K Hall,Madeline Harms,Rashelle Hintz,Rebecca McVay-Brodersen, andSarah Bergstrom