Femundløpet 2025
Two weeks have already passed since the start, but as always, there was too much to do to write a report right away. But patience pays off, because now it’s finally finished. You’ll just have to wait a little longer for the pictures, as I’m still fighting with the upload.
How it all began
I guess I have to go back a long way, but only about ten years 😂 You already know that, since I started working with sled dogs „professionally,“ I have mostly, if not always, trained race dogs for long-distance races. Even when we started our own little kennel, the training was structured from the beginning as if we were going to race, even though it would still take some time before the races would begin. And when you train for long-distance races, you can’t avoid the Femundløpet. It might not be the longest race in Europe, but it’s the biggest in terms of participants. Not that I care much about that. No, but the area where it takes place and the atmosphere around it are just incredible. You have to experience it for yourself.
So, after we got back into the racing business with our own dogs last season, the Femundløpet was at the top of our wish list. We started planning over a year ago, thinking about the guest tours, handlers, etc. But I won’t tell you that I also started drafting a preliminary race plan – that is, run and rest times – a year ago 🤫 Of course, all of these plans were tossed around multiple times due to date changes, the cancellation of my originally planned handlers, suddenly valid vaccination regulations, and not to forget the disastrous training conditions this winter. I had always said that I wouldn’t start if I wasn’t sure the dogs could handle the 450km. So, I was unsure for a long time whether I should even go to Røros. I had almost decided against it, but after conversations with experienced mushers, veterinarians, and Raffi, we decided to just treat it as training for the dogs. Because even if we didn’t complete the full distance, they could still learn a lot. The long trip to Røros, the start in the middle of the historic old town with what seemed like millions of spectators, the checkpoints with countless other teams, new trails, and changing trail conditions… just to name a few.
Alright, we’re going 😊
The Team
- Barolo – 8 years old, my main lead dog. I knew that for him, especially due to his size and weight, the expected trail conditions could make it difficult to finish the race. But I wouldn’t have started without him. He’s my rock, the one I can always rely on.
- Max – 2 years old, lead dog in training. Max is currently learning what it means to be a good lead dog. Sometimes he’s a little stubborn, and his appetite could clearly be better, but he was meant to prove himself in the race.
- Timon – 4 years old, a „get up and go“ kind of dog. Timon belongs to the „Rangers,“ and just like his father, he never seems to get tired. No matter how far he runs, he stands there wagging his tail, waiting – impatiently – for the next leg.
- Mavas – 3 years old, my hope. Mavas is very sensitive, which often affects her appetite and her will to run in lead. But she showed last year in the Metsjövidda Fjällrace that she can grow during a race.
- Pumba – 4 years old, the „Happy-Dog.“ There’s really nothing more to say about Pumba, another „Ranger“, other than he’s probably the happiest dog alive. No matter what happens, he’s always happily bouncing around.
- Stella – 4 years old, the powerhouse. Stella may not be particularly large, but she’s a real powerhouse. She pulls like crazy and eats like there’s no tomorrow.
- Zazu – 4 years old, my favorite. He’s 1000% his father. Extremely strong in the team, especially in the wheel position, and knows exactly what I’m thinking and feeling. A race without him? Unthinkable.
- Mose – 5 years old, full of power. Mose always goes „all in,“ maybe not the best strategy for long-distance races. That’s why we wanted to see how she develops over the distance.
The Preparations
I could go back even further here. Of course, the whole training was already tuned to the highlight of the winter… as far as the conditions allowed. Apart from that, you have to start early looking for accommodation in and around Røros because with nearly 200 participants in the Femundløpet alone, plus the other World Championship participants from sprint and mid-distance, it can get tricky to find a place to stay. But we were lucky, I found a very conveniently located Airbnb that had a large parking lot, giving us enough space for our trailer.
In the last week before departure, it was mainly about cutting and packing the right amounts of food and preparing the equipment. The food part was easier said than done. I was so excited that my head was completely confused, I had to recalculate a hundred times how much of which snack to bring. Plus, we couldn’t prepare too early, as there were already warm temperatures in between, and small-cut snacks thaw much faster than, say, large meat blocks. But little by little, everything was cut – meat, fat from moose, reindeer, and chicken, fish, and not to forget, the magic weapon, heart ❤️ – and packed into different-colored bags so I wouldn’t have to search during the race but just grab the right color.
For the equipment, we had to pack the right harnesses and coats with spares, as well as booties in the correct sizes and the necessary amounts. And of course, the mandatory equipment. But that was easy because we could just tick off the list. Speaking of the list: the entire packing list, including clothes and food for us, was only four pages long, with two columns per page 😉
The Journey Begins
Since we wanted to be on time for the opening ceremony on Sunday, February 9, in Røros, we planned to leave on February 8 with a stopover in Östersund to save the dogs (and the driver) from an excessively long journey in one day.
So, we got up at 5 am, gave the dogs a soup so they had time to digest before the drive. Then quickly loaded all the food from the freezer. The equipment and dry food had already been handled the day before. Then, the most important part: the dogs 🐕 and off we went.
The drive went smoothly, and by the afternoon, we were able to settle into our accommodation at a campsite in Östersund. The dogs first got something to eat since they were too excited to eat during the drive or stops. Afterward, each dog got a walk… Michelle, who was my handler for the race, quickly warmed up, too. It’s funny when you take two dogs at once. Mmh, sled dogs are pulling dogs… they proved it without a doubt 🤪 Then, Michelle and Yves went shopping and came back with pizza and ice cream. It doesn’t get much more typical than that 😉 but it was delicious. At least the ice cream. The pizza couldn’t compete with our homemade one at home. In the evening, more food and another walk, and the first travel day was done.
The next morning began as usual, with breakfast and a walk for the dogs, breakfast for the musher and handler, and then we could continue. At the border, we stopped to show the deworming proof of the dogs. However, it was Sunday… and the customs office was closed. Great! Well, onward to Røros for the last few kilometers. Timing was such that we could do the registration right before heading to our accommodation. Again, the same routine: dogs out, feed them, walk.
In the early evening, Michelle and I went back to Røros for the opening ceremony. Due to the size of the event, it wasn’t held in the church but in a sports hall, which unfortunately took away some of its atmosphere.
Waiting for the Start
We had two free days before things got serious. On Monday, I wanted to take the dogs for a little run to stretch out after the long travel. I received the information that the trail from the checkpoint in Tolga towards Tynset was quite poor, so I decided to start nearby and drive a bit towards Tolga. It couldn’t get worse, right? In fact, the trail was very hard and icy since there was almost no snow. There were also some stones to watch out for. But it was definitely manageable, and we enjoyed the training.
On Tuesday, I sent my handlers to the start of the 650km race. Neither of them had ever been to a race, and I thought it wouldn’t hurt for them to get an impression of how everything works before they kept bombarding me with questions. Meanwhile, I had time to take care of my dogs.
Wednesday was the day of the days. The start was scheduled for 11:00, and since I had start number 166, my start time was 12:05. However, everyone had to be at a designated meeting point by 8:00. There, all the cars were sorted, which took about an hour, and then we were driven in a convoy to the start area in the old town. We let the dogs out again, and then I packed the sled. Although I had to unpack half of it when the sled was checked for mandatory equipment ✅ Then, I changed clothes and started to harness the dogs. In addition to the harnesses, everyone got booties, and Max and Mavas received coats. And then it was time to put them on the line…
The Start
Once all the dogs were harnessed, the sled was hitched to an atv, which then slowly drove towards the start. The road had very little snow, and without the support of the atv, it would have been absolutely impossible to get to the start without damaging anything. At the start, the snow anchor was attached to a tire, and while the seconds counted down until the start, someone held a microphone in my face and asked odd questions… I only understood about half of them. Though, that might have been because I was thinking about something other than an interview 🤭
And just like that, it was 12:05:00. Off we go. The dogs were highly motivated and ran up Kjerkgata, despite the brakes. And then came the turn I had feared for years. I don’t know if it was particularly well-prepared this time or if it was because I only had eight dogs… But I survived it without falling in front of hundreds of people and even more on the livestream screen ☺️
Actually, it gets tricky after the turn, as it’s quite fast and still somewhat curvy downhill out of the town. Shortly after passing the stadium, where the finish line would also be, my dogs wanted to go wrong briefly at a barrier. First, the anchor wouldn’t hold on the icy trail, and then it held so tight that it took me a few seconds to get it off. But now we were on our way.
Stage 1: Røros – Tufsingdalen
The first stage had to be completely rerouted due to a lack of snow. Instead of going over the mountains, we went through the valley. Nevertheless, it still had its ups and downs, and especially the latter were challenging, as they were very steep and, with nearly 100 teams already ahead of me (the 650km teams also used this trail), deep brake grooves had formed, making it difficult to brake and control the sled.
Even on the new route, the snow was limited, which led to a rather adventurous first snack break. First, my dogs got tangled up when I stopped because they all wanted to reach the best and deepest snow on the side. Once I finally untangled them and had the first snack in hand, a team came from behind, and as it passed, my anchors came loose. I had the option of trying to secure them either on the icy trail or in the loose snow at the edge. Neither worked really well, and I had to be fast to keep the dogs and the sled under control without getting the anchors in my legs… So, we decided to postpone the snack break by two or three kilometers to first calm down a bit. The rest of the shortened 45km stage went smoothly, and after a little over three hours, we reached the first checkpoint.
In Tufsingdalen, we stayed for about an hour to snack and lower the pulse. With the weather at its best, we then set off for Drevsjø.
Stage 2: Tufsingdalen – Drevsjø
The next stage was supposed to be 64km. At first, there were some more ups and downs, although I honestly can’t remember the details 🙈 But what I remember very clearly is the magical atmosphere when the full moon peeked out from behind the clouds. It was only there for a short while before the clouds took over, but those few minutes were simply breathtaking. Moments like these are why you endure all the hardships. Just me and my dogs, surrounded only by the indescribable beauty of nature.
Later, the trail went for several kilometers over a lake, which felt like an eternity. After that, there were another 20km, where you go in and out of the checkpoint, so you could also encounter oncoming teams, which my dogs handled with great skill and even drew new motivation from. We arrived in Drevsjø shortly before 9 PM, where I planned to take the mandatory rest break, so six hours plus 25 minutes for time adjustment.
Checkpoint Routine: First, you hook the dogs with the second snow anchor. On the way back, they get their first snacks, and I take out the tuglines, which is the signal for the break. At the same time, I remove the booties. Then I put the coats on them and distribute straw to make them comfortable. Now, I fetch the checkpoint bag and water to cook food for the dogs. While waiting for the water, I check the dogs, massage their joints, and work out any tight muscles. Then, it’s time for food. While the dogs eat, I pack the new snacks for the next stage in the sled so everything is ready. I place the additional snacks for later during the break and the next set of booties right next to the sled. Then, I quickly check that all the dogs are fine, and then head to the car… which was parked quite far away. Yves had already prepared food. Of course, I wasn’t really in the mood to eat, so I could only manage a few spoonfuls. Then I quickly crawled into the sleeping bag to get some rest. At least the timing was right. After three hours, Michelle was supposed to wake me, but my internal clock was quicker 😉 So, I quickly got dressed, went to the dogs, gave them snacks, massaged them, and warmed them up for the next stage. Just before the start, I put on their booties, and off we go…
Stage 3: Drevsjø – Søvollen
The next stage started with the same familiar end of the previous one. Relatively early on, I overtook another team… and from that point on, I was mostly alone for the rest of the stage. I was able to see the lights of the team once more when I took a snack break, but then I was on my own again. Most of the time, the trail followed some forestry roads, or at least that’s what I assume. It was relatively boring, though maybe that was because it was still dark, and I couldn’t see anything of the surroundings.
After about 50km, the ascent to the mountains finally began, which Raffi had told me to enjoy the view of. Hmm, well, first it was still dark, and when it got brighter, it was snowing, and the sky was very overcast. So, there wasn’t much of a view to be seen 😔
Just before the end of the stage, Barolo started to get a bit tired and stiff, so Max took over the role of motivating the team. Happily, we reached the checkpoint Søvollen shortly after 8:30 AM. Here, we followed the same routines as in Drevsjø, with special attention given to Barolo, who was showing some pain in his left shoulder and, due to compensating, also in his right carpal joint. He received extra care in the form of massages, warmth, and a check from the race vets. Meanwhile, I was thinking about whether and how the race could continue without Barolo. We had always known it was possible that Barolo wouldn’t be able to finish the whole race, but it’s still really hard to take out your main lead dog and continue…
When I was done with the dog care I went back to the car. My handlers had brought me waffles, which I quickly ate before I wanted to lie down again. And here came probably the funniest situation of the entire race. I had sat down on my sleeping bag with my feet outside and asked Michelle if she could pull off my shoes. However, the sleeping bag was quite slippery on the mat, and everything was sloping towards the door, which led to Michelle almost pulling me out of the car. I tried to hold on to something while we both nearly died laughing.
Okay, now I had to quickly sleep for two hours… Not happening, though. At that time of the day, you just can’t sleep, especially when you check your phone to see how the 650ers are doing and what the rest of the 450ers are up to 🙈 I did put the phone away, but sleep was still out of the question. So, I got dressed a little earlier to spend more time with Barolo, even though I already knew I would take him out. When I unhooked him to walk and warm him up, the rest of the team suddenly became fully awake and desperately wanted to continue. But first, of course, they got a snack. Then, I had one of the race vets check Barolo. After he had a bit of rest, it turned out that the pain on the left side wasn’t coming from the shoulder but from the elbow. For me, this was the clear confirmation that he would now take a break in the handler’s car. Meanwhile, the others were eager to move on. But I decided to give them a bit more rest, so I took my time with the warming up, putting on booties, and so on. We set off for the next stage just before 1 PM.
Stage 4: Søvollen – Tynset
Originally, I thought about letting Mose run with Max in lead. But it quickly became clear in the first kilometer that Mose was a bit overwhelmed by the racing situation. Since Max had done really well in single-lead during a more demanding training session, I decided to try it this time too.
For the first half of the stage, we were basically alone, so there was no question about how well the single-lead would work when being overtaken or overtaking, which is still somewhat new to our dogs. It’s a very different situation when you train with another team from the kennel, where everyone knows each other, compared to encountering unknown teams.
The stage began with some uphill sections, before we descended quite steeply. Later, though, the ascents clearly predominated, some not so steep but long, others much steeper. Apart from the cleared roads, on which we were sometimes traveling, the trail was mostly deeply trenched, which made it relatively difficult for the dogs to run. It was pretty warm, and the runners seemed to be sticking to the snow. So, I only made slow progress, though Raffi, tracking the GPS, told me that it was probably similar for most teams on that stage.
In the meantime, Mavas probably strained something and showed pain in the shoulder (which later turned out to be the biceps). Given the trail conditions and the less-than-ideal training conditions this winter, I decided already on the way to end the race in Tynset. I didn’t want to risk any further or more serious injuries, and I wanted the dogs to finish the race happy.
I’m not sure about the exact kilometers, but the last climb was a real challenge. It felt like it went on forever, with several steep sections. But my dogs were just amazing, handling it brilliantly. Afterward, though, we had some „discussions“ because the „Rangers“ again didn’t want to run in front or behind each other. In the end, I just put them side by side. Also, I had initially planned to put Mavas in the sled to spare her shoulder during the last downhill stretch, but she – to put it mildly – thought that was an extremely stupid idea. So, on the last five kilometers, we must have stopped 50 times to sort the lines and adjust the dogs 🙈
But after six hours for 56km, we finally reached Tynset. The whole team went for the snacks I offered, and some even drank clear water, which they had previously refused. Since I planned to stop, all the dogs were checked by the vets. They confirmed that all of them were in excellent condition, well-hydrated, and with a good body score. According to the vets, Mavas could have continued after a break, but I had already decided to stop, and that decision was made.
By the time we arrived at our accommodation, it was about 10:30 PM. Now, it was time to take care of the dogs again, and already here it became clear that the vets were right – Mavas showed no signs of pain anymore. Barolo was happy as well. The rest of the team was doing well, too. The next morning, they all would have preferred to continue, which confirmed to me that I had made the right decision. Of course, one could argue that the dogs could have continued the race. Yes, they might have. But by stopping in Tynset, they gathered many positive experiences: the checkpoint routines, sleeping next to many other dogs amid all the hustle and bustle, encountering other teams on the trail, knowing they get a break before they are exhausted, eating under stress, etc. All of this is foundational for future training. And it wouldn’t have been worth it to spoil these positive experiences with negative ones like injuries and overexertion, just because I wanted to see the finish line. The dogs didn’t know where that finish line was. They only knew they had fun and ran a great new trail.
Thank You for Everything
In conclusion, I want to say thank you.
Thank you to my wonderful dogs, who are the real superstars of this adventure.
Thank you to Raffi for all the support on our long journey to Femund. Whether it was training the dogs, countless massage and stretching sessions, or the encouragement to start, no matter what came.
Thank you to my handlers, Michelle and Yves, for their help during the race.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this dream come true.