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About Melanie Gould

In the spring of 1998, Anchorage-born Melanie "Mel" Gould and her Siberian Husky named Kodiak left Jackson Hole, Wyoming and headed North to Alaska. Seeking adventure and a new place to call home, she happened upon the village of Talkeetna. Here, she met Jerome Longo, now her partner of 6 years. He was a 5 time Iditarod finisher, so Melanie was eager to learn from him. She signed on as his dog handler, and quickly became enthralled with the world of sled dogs and mushing.

One year later, Melanie ran her first Iditarod Sled Dog Race, placing 64th. Kodiak, her "pet" Siberian, even made it to Nome as a member of the team.

During the last 6 years, Melanie and Jerome have raised close to 40 dogs together. Living in a cabin on 5 acres on the Talkeetna River, they maintain a simple, active lifestyle. A big garden and fish from the river help sustain them through the winters. Until recently, they hand-pumped their water from a well, and lived off the electrical grid.  They still have an outdoor shower and a small wood-heated sauna.  Melanie also works as a professional massage therapist, and both guide wilderness adventures and have  worked in local restaurants. Feeding a yard full of dogs is no small task!

In 2002, Melanie and her team placed 37th in the Iditarod. In 2003 they placed 25th. In both 2004 and 2005, they arrived at the finish line in 23rd place.  In 2006, Melanie and her team moved up to an 18th place finish. (Unfortunately, 2007's harsh, icy trail conditions resulted in a broken sled that forced Mel to scratch at Rainy Pass.) They have also participated in many mid-distance races, such as the Nome Council 2001, placing 2nd, and the Kobuk 440 in Kotzebue, placing 8th in 2007.

Jerome has been Melanie's right hand man, working to support her racing career every step of the way, while taking a break from his own participation in the Iditarod race. In the months leading to the Iditarod, Mel and Jerome spend at least 4 to 10 hours per day caring for and training the dogs, sledding on miles of snowy trails in their "back yard".

The joy of raising and training her own dogs has inspired 27-year-old Melanie to keep racing. Every year, the team is stronger, and Melanie gains more experience and skill as a musher. The 13 puppies born into LongAgo Kennel last year ensure that Mel and Jerome have many future races yet to come.