BRENT SASS is already into NOME but I'll tell you his story:
He lead much of the way. Got in between the SEAVEY'S at one point and it was almost a chase with the three of them. He got to WHITE MOUNTAIN all revved up BUT the dogs wouldn't go. You CAN'T make a dog go when he doesn't want to. BRENT then realized that physically his dogs were fine but mentally he had exhausted them. He felt ashamed of himself. He let the chase of the other two mushers get in his way of checking with his dogs. He got ready to leave, looked at the dogs and knew then and there--they weren't ready. He checked himself and said this is their race and they are talking to me. SOOO he and the dogs stopped and rested at WHITE MOUNTAIN till the dogs "told" him they were ready to move on. He then knew the race wasn't his to win but he did the right thing by his dogs and thats more rewarding. He came into NOME teary eyed but happy to make it to the end and do the right thing for his dogs. At one point he was ready for second or third but in the end came in 20th.  NATHAN SCHROEDER had the same situation. His dogs wouldn't GO--again, they were talking to him,  so he stopped and rested them till they were ready. A lesson to be learned.