Up North: Young mushers learn racing ropes at Beargrease Cub Run

It’s that time of year where the Northland gets in the mushing spirit. Before the big John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, friends and families headed to the Lakeview National Golf Course in Two Harbors for this season’s Cub Run where kids from 3 and a half to 14 years old came out to race.

"It’s a super fun race its short and you don’t have to commit to much time," said 11-year-old musher Sawyer Morrow.

Also in attendance at the event was two-time Beargrease champion Blake Freking. He had the day off of training to enjoy watching his two daughters of nine and eleven years old enjoy the sport.

"The sport is such that especially for us, we are out putting long miles on all the time so the kids kind of get left out. We have to really work hard to get them involved and all that, so it’s fun to see them take and interest and want to be involved," said Freking.

The event consisted of two courses. One that was three quarters of a mile for the younger racers and the second that was two miles. It was the longer that Freking’s older daughter Elena prepared hard for.

"I started doing the Cub Run when I was four, just finding the right dogs that go together and that like to run next to each other," Elena Freking said.

The family time for the Cub Run was perfect for Blake and his wife Jen, who enjoyed the festivities before they are both are set to take off at the 300-mile Beargrease Marathon set to begin Sunday at Billy’s bar in Duluth.

"The main thing is getting them out there, seeing the smile on their faces and letting them see some success and have fun," concluded Freking.