Lifting out a snow block, central Canadian High Arctic, April 1999, © Hamilton photo

Running North, a Yukon Adventure 

by Ann Mariah Cook

reviewed by Geneviève Montcombroux

If you like reading about long distance races, then this is a book for you. Ann and her husband, George, had a dream to run the 1000-mile Yukon Quest, the toughest sled dog race in the world. Working together, they prepared themselves and their Siberian Huskies for this major event. Ann cared for her young children - one a preschooler - at the same time as supporting George in training the dogs. The Cooks took leaves of absence from their jobs, rented out their house, loaded dogs and equipment, and pointed their truck north to Alaska. 

The 3,000-mile trip to the Last Frontier was an adventure in itself, and they arrived only to discover the "Musher's Paradise", promised by the real estate agent, was something of a disappointment - a hovel. However, Alaskans offered genuine friendship and hospitality. From advice to material help, everyone lent a hand. The Yukon Quest lived up to its brutal reputation. Many a time, George questioned whether he could even finish, but he did, despite injury problems, and proudly took home the red lantern, proving that, in this race, even the last one across the line is a winner. 

Undoubtedly, the true heros were his dogs, who all of them came through unscathed and in good health. This, despite the free advice he'd received to get rid of "those pretty doggies" and race real dogs - Alaskan Huskies, of course! Ann Mariah Cook is refreshingly candid and humble about her and her husband's achievement. Humor runs through the book like tracks in snow, ensuring that Running North is a warm read on a cold, winter evening. 

Running North is published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, NC 1998. 312 p. $32.95 Cdn. ISBN 1-56512-213-5