UF alum on the last frontier

<p>His dad would not let him have a dog when he was a kid, but Tom Thurston finally got his way.</p><p>Thurston, a University of Florida graduate in 1992, is now shooting for a top-30 finish in the Iditarod with 16 dogs on his team. Thurston admits: “maybe I've overcompensated.”</p><p>More than 50 mushers enter the Iditarod each year, and only a small percentage are from the Lower 48 states. Any team that completes the challenge receives the Iditarod Official Finishers belt buckle and a cash prize, but Thurston is focused on finishing with a healthy dog team.</p><p>It takes extraordinary skill and dedication to tolerate the cold and unforgiving intensity of the 1,000-plus mile trail. But Thurston, who majored in business, has already proven he can do it. He finished 44th in 2009 after 14 days on the trail.</p><p>Thurston didn't start mushing until after college. He tried a corporate job first but moved to Colorado and “went back to a blue collar lifestyle” as a general contractor. There he was introduced to dog mushing, running dog sled tours. He and wife Tami bought the tour business and now run Double T Kennel, in addition to the construction company.</p><p>Mushing intrigued Thurston because he enjoys back-country camping in the winter, but he could never convince anyone to join him.</p><p>“There's nothing better than being out with the dogs in the middle of nowhere,” Thurston said.</p><p>Even though friends would not camp with him, he was not lacking support at the start of this year's Iditarod. Nearly 20 supporters joined Thurston, including waitress Diane Heavey from the Colorado Bar and Grill. The restaurant locally supports Thurston's team. She “saved up everything” for this trip to work as a dog handler.</p><p>Despite the downturn in the economy affecting his contracting business, Thurston was able to dedicate the nearly $50,000 it takes to prepare his team for the Iditarod. The biggest expense is dog food. Sleds can also be pricey, but Thurston builds his own.</p><p>Thurston could finish in the top 30 if he exercises self control on the trail. He's a self-described “hyperactive, over-motivated type.” He plans to hold the team back until the Ruby checkpoint, which is about halfway, and then allow them to display their strength and speed on the back end.</p>