Brainerd Dispatch in Brainerd, Minnesota

Fatigue hits Iditarod mushers amid hallucinations and grit

In Alaska, exhaustion marks the Iditarod as mushers press toward Nome. Aliy Zirkle leads from Anvik with Aaron Burmeister close behind, while veterans like Martin Buser and Lance Mackey cope with sleep deprivation. Dogs rest while mushers melt snow, fix gear, and push through the Yukon River stretch and beyond, risking foggy judgment but continuing the grueling race.