Minnesotans make their mark on world-famous Iditarod dog sled race

We'd like to tell you that it was a Minnesotan dog sledder who won this year's 1,000-mile, nine-day Iditarod race in Alaska, but that honor goes to Alaskan Dallas Seavey (who's celebrating his fourth victory, according to ABC News).

Racers crossed the finish line Wednesday morning, with Seavey's father in second place, according to the event's website.

37-year-old Nathan Schroeder, of Chisholm, was one of those racers.

Schroeder, who has twice won Minnesota's John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon and got 17th place in last year's Iditarod, told the Duluth News Tribune earlier this month that his ultimate goal was simply to complete the race.

"I want to finish," he said. "I want to do better than last year, but that’s kind of my last priority.”

He did accomplish his goal, but came in a little further down the list this time, at number 23.

Teen twins take on the race

Meanwhile, a set of Minnesota twins (actual twins, not players for the state's Major League Baseball franchise) made their own mark on this year's sled dog race.

14-year-old Chloe and Carlie Beatty of Lakeville, who have had a passion for sled racing for years, were invited to participate in the 2015 Iditarod by veteran dogsledders and fellow identical twins Anna and Kristy Berington, reports SWNewsMedia.

The news service says the girls got to ride behind the Beringtons for the ceremonial 11-mile "opening ride" the day before the Iditarod kicked off.

Fat biking the trail

Minnesotans also ventured to Alaska earlier this month to take part in a 350-mile fat bike face on the Iditarod trail.

It might not be as long or arduous, perhaps, as the famous dog sled race, but MPR reports it's "incredibly difficult" and "potentially very, very dangerous" event which pits its competitors against extreme weather and brutal temperatures.

One of the Minnesota fat bikers told the station it took him more than two days to finish the course.