While the fans are busy spectating, it is one of the biggest days of the year for sled dog mushers
MARQUETTE -- The race course for the UP 200 may have changed, but the excitement was all the same in Downtown Marquette Friday.
The Midnight Run ceremonial lap kicked off race, and the location change didn't stop fans from coming out to support their favorite pups.
"This is our first time. We were a little disappointed because there wasn't so much snow, but I was amazed to see how much they brought in just for this," said spectator Suzi Kanger.
While the fans were busy watching, it is one of the biggest days of the year for sled dog mushers. On the day of a big race, mushers said that their whole eating and drinking patterns for their dogs change.
"The closer it gets to the race, we try to just do water and meat. We feed them, like, a mixture of dog food and dry dog food and meat with water," said musher John Hull.
The ceremonial lap warmed up the dogs, then they travel to Chatham for the official start of the Midnight Run.
"It's a little bit harder because you have to start again with the dogs, and I'm just not sure how it all works out. I mean, they get fired up to do the downtown, then you start them back in Chatham, but I think it will be alright and it will all be great," Hull adds.
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