Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod

At the last checkpoint, Paulsen sees the lights of Nome 20 miles away. Cookie sees the lights, too, and picks up the pace. A siren sounds when the team crosses the finish line.

Reporters and the mayor of Nome greet Paulsen. At the end of the 17-day, 14-hour trip, he describes himself as a physical wreck with ripped clothing, “hips and back wrecked from the jolting of the runners […] frostbitten cheekbones, two of my toes black […]” (251). However, he has no regrets and expresses his desire for a rematch: “I’m going to come back and win this son of a bitch” (251).

The final chapter takes place while Paulsen is training for his third Iditarod. Paulsen finds out he has coronary heart disease. The doctor tells him he cannot run any more Iditarods. Paulsen reluctantly decides to give his dogs to a musher friend. He keeps only Cookie.

Paulsen thinks he has made the right decision because it will allow the dogs to continue to run. However, he laments facing the future without the dogs: “My dogs. God. How can it be to live without the dogs?” (256).