Menomonie native Dan Kaduce not only competed in, but completed his first Iditarod dog sled race this winter. Kaduce and his team of 11 dogs started their grueling 1,161-mile race on March 6 and finished after 10 days (and 50 minutes) at the celebrated annual Alaskan event. Kaduce finished 21st overall – the first rookie to finish of the 72 total mushers, or dog sled operators – which won him the honor of Rookie of the Year. He’ll receive $1,500 for the honor and another $8,200 for his 21st place finish. The Iditarod is known for mushers having to compete in whiteout blizzards, sub-zero temperatures, and race through blizzards causing whiteout conditions and sub-zero temperatures that with wind chill can plummet to 100 below! And here I was complaining about it only being 30 degrees out.