TUCKER COUNTY, W.Va. — A Tucker County man is again this year testing his limits by competing in the Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska which is billed as “the world’s longest winter ultra-marathon.”
Dr. John Logar, 43, of Davis, is currently covering the snowy, slushy, icy 1,000-mile course on a fat tire race bike with studded tires nearly five inches wide from Blackwater Bikes.
“He’s a nut, for sure,” said Rob Stull, owner of Blackwater Bikes in Davis, Logar’s sponsor.
“People can push their limits and do these long races, but the fact that you’re going to be doing it in potentially -50 degree temperatures puts it at a whole new level.”
This year’s race started on Sunday, Feb. 24.
As of Friday, Logar was more than 300 miles into the route.
Logar’s progress can be tracked HERE.
In addition to bikers, the Iditarod Trail Invitational is open to walkers and skiers who follow the historic Iditarod Trail from Knik Lake near Anchorage through McGrath to Nome, Alaska.
The ceremonial start for the separate 47th Annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is Saturday.
Logar, an ER doctor in Elkins with a family in Davis, is a frequent race competitor.
It was in 2014 when Logar won the Iditarod Trail Invitational by covering the 1,000 miles on foot. Records showed he finished that year in 23 days, 23 hours and ten minutes.
This year is his 7th overall for the competition, according to a previous interview with Logar in Blue Ridge Outdoors.
Some years, Logar has competed in the 350-mile race.
Unlike some of the other competitors, Stull said Logar does not seek the spotlight, avoids publicity like this story and is not after professional gain while on his bike in Alaska’s often extreme conditions that, at times, can mirror those of Tucker County.
“He likes to say that he’s got no training regimen, it’s more of a lifestyle for him,” Stull said.
“He just lives active, stays active and stays healthy and does it that way.”
Before the race, Logar sent supplies to villages along the route.
His race bike was also packed and shipped to Alaska for the endurance event.
With many miles still ahead of Logar, “The trick is just you’ve got to be able to shut down,” Stull said. “You’ve got to be able turn off and just hunker down, put your head down and go for it.”