Kristy and Anna Berington were born within 5 minutes of each other in early 1984.
Raised in a small town in northern Wisconsin, they first got involved in sprint-distance sled dog racing at a young age.
After graduating from high school, they served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard before setting their sights on a life centered around raising, training, and racing sled dogs.
So usually I’d ask you to tell me a bit about yourself as an introduction, but to make it a little different, Can I ask you Kristy to tell me a little bit about your sister, Anna ?
Kristy : Anna is my best friend, there for me since the very beginning.
She is a very hard worker, determined and the most unselfish person I’ve ever known.
She is also very humble and honestly, incredibly hard on herself. She is a lot of fun to be around and very funny, I think that’s why me and our dogs are generally so happy and smiling!
And Anna, could you please tell me a little bit about your sister, Kristy ?
Anna : Kristy has helped me so much on my mushing journey.
I have learned a lot from her.
She can make the worst part of anything easier with her positive, get after it attitude.
Her care and communication with the dogs is like no other, it’s like she is one of them.
Did one of you start mushing before the other, or did your love for sled dog racing start for both of you at the same time ?
Kristy : We started our mushing journey together.
Our definition of mushing at ten years old was harnessing up our two farm dogs in horse halters (you’ll have to use your imagination here) and constructing a sled out of a pair of alpine skis, a milk crate and the handlebar from our dad’s hand truck.
We were inspired by the books we read by Gary Paulsen, by our veterinarian who gave us our first dog sled ride, and by the Disney movie Iron Will.
We would take our dogs for walks all winter “mushing” from imaginary town to town, checkpoint to checkpoint.
Did you both enter your very first sled dog race together? Where was it? And when ?
Anna : We had the opportunity to run with our neighbour, who had sprint dogs.
We helped with chores and ran dogs with her on the weekends.
We had one 4 dog team to share.
We drew straws to see who would get the team in the first race and I won.
The race was in Land O’Lakes during their winter carnival.
Do you share the same dogs or both have your own separate kennel ?
Kristy : Anna and I own and operate our kennel together.
We call it Seeing Double Sled Dog Racing.
We have 36 dogs and two cats.
My husband Andy helps out a lot and really enjoys the mushing lifestyle.
We both run all the dogs, but there are several lead dogs who I would say belong to Anna.
I don’t get to run these very often, and the same goes for my leaders.
I trust no one more with my dogs than Anna, it’s amazing to have someone who is an extension of yourself working together.
What is your kennel / kennels name and how did it come about?
Anna : Our kennel is called Seeing Double Sled Dog Racing.
We threw a few ideas, trying to be clever with the twin thing, and this one stuck.
Do you always train together?
Kristy : We don’t always train together, on our shorter maintenance runs we may cross paths, but we don’t follow one another.
We want the dogs to be confident and strong independently as well as together.
When we do long training sessions, it’s fun to camp and travel together.
What is your general training regime like ?
Anna : We start official training in early autumn.
The summers are spent with one on one time with the dogs, grooming, free runs and play time.
The miles and hours pulling the atv on dryland is slowly built up until winter when we are on sleds and can do 50-100 miles a day.
Typically we start with 2-4 mile runs, adding mileage as temperatures drop.
Once the dogs are in good condition, we usually do 50 mile runs with a four hour rest and repeat.
We will do this until we reach up to 500 miles.
We call this a set or a series, it simulates a race situation.
Has either one of you ever entered a race without the other ?
Kristy : Yes, we have done several 200 and 300 mile races without the other one.
This works out great when the race requires handlers at the checkpoints or moving the dog truck from the start to the finish line.
What would you say is your favourite race and why?
Anna : My favourite race is the adventure and experience of the Iditarod. I get to do a long multi day excursion with my dogs and my best friend.
If you were neck and neck heading toward the Iditarod finish line, would you agree to cross it together ?
Kristy : Not necessarily.
There have been times where I needed Anna and I couldn’t take credit for a win that she earned and deserved more than I did.
Being twins, you probably do most things together, but is there anything, one of you do, that the other one does not like doing ?
Anna : We both have certain skill sets that we rely on each other for.
I’m very good at backing up our trailers and Kristy is very good in the woods with the chainsaw.
I compete in triathlons because Kristy doesn’t like swimming as much as I do, and she likes to do ultra marathons.
Due to COVID-19 the 2021 Iditarod route was changed. How did you find it?
Kristy : I was happy to have a race, no matter where we went.
It was very interesting going through the burn twice and up the gorge.
There was a lot of head on passes at one point which seldom happen in the Iditarod.
As mushers being part of the iditarod has to be a dream come true, but 2022 is even more special when it sees the 50th anniversary. How does it feel to know you will both be part of this ?
Anna : I’m not caught up in the semantics of the Iditarod.
There is so much more to this journey than prizes, figures and statistics.
But I am honoured to be part of the history and tradition.
Do you share the same dreams?
Kristy : We do.
There’s a saying, if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together.
Anna and I have wanted to run dogs across the vast wilderness since we were kids and that’s just what we are doing.
Do you have the same goals ?
Anna : Yes, I feel like we do.
Raising happy, healthy dogs and inspiring others to follow their dreams.
If that involves running and winning a race here and there, that’s great too.
If you didn’t live in Alaska where do you think you would be living ?
Kristy : I love Alaska, it’s hard to imagine being anywhere else, but I do like Colorado ( we have family there), the Sierras in California are nice too.
I’ve never been to the Scandinavian countries, but I think I’d like it there and the love of dog sledding that thrives in that area.
If you weren’t a musher, what do you think you would be ?
Anna : Something outdoors and with animals.
What does dog mushing mean to you?
Kristy : It means a life with dogs.
Whether you’re racing or not, it’s a big commitment and takes a certain type of person to love this way of living.
What do sled dogs mean to you ?
Anna : Family, they are our family.
When working dogs, are you both as competitive as each other ?
Kristy : We are both very competitive, but not so much with each other.
Growing up being twins I think in the beginning there is competition for attention from parents and friends, but as you get older, you realise what it means to support and celebrate one another’s accomplishments, instead of harbouring jealousy.
When you were first starting out, did any of the veteran mushers help you? If so, who and how did they help ?
Anna : Our neighbour Lisa Chaplin gave us a lot of experiences when we were kids and helped cultivate our love for dog mushing.
Once we moved to Alaska, Dean Osmar hired us as handlers and gave us our first taste of the Alaskan wilderness and racing dogs.
Paul Gebhardt taught us a lot about racing dogs and what they’re capable of.
We have also reached out to other mushers for advice and found Brent Sass, Tom Knolmayer, the Redingtons and Nick Petit to be very kind and provided us with schedules, nutrition and other information that they have learned throughout their careers.
If you could give any advice to a rookie musher, what would it be ?
Kristy : I suggest drinking in as much information and experiences that you can about dog mushing before you get your own dogs.
Volunteering at races, helping at a neighbours kennel, reading books and meeting other mushers is a great source of information.
There is no dog mushing manual that covers everything and there are so many different ways to do things from what kind of dog house you build to what kind of kibble to feed.
It’s also a very expensive sport, so you need to know who much it costs and if you can afford to have dogs.
There is also the commitment part to owning dogs that you have to consider.
The bond between musher and team is really something special and obviously being twins, you share an unbreakable bond with each other. What does it mean to you to be able to share your passion for it with each other?
Anna : It is so fun to be able to recall and share memories together.
We have so many miles of laughs and struggles together that have strengthened our relationship.
How does it feel knowing you’re running with your best friends in the greatest race there is and somewhere your sister is out there too, feeling exactly the same?
Kristy : It’s great to be able to talk about these experiences later in life and share a tear or laugh together.
There are some very well-known veteran mushers, and also veteran families, that a lot of people look up to. For me, Lance Mackey is my inspiration.
Anna : I’m inspired by the dogs even more than I am by their human counterparts!
If I said to you Libby riddles, what comes to your mind first about her?
Kristy : Tough as nails, first woman to win the Iditarod.
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Dee Dee John Rowe ?
Anna : Survivor. A woman who really helped pave the way for women mushers on the trails today.
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What about Hugh Neff ?
Kristy : Honestly, his nickname is Huge Mess. This is someone who really has been through the ringer and has thousands of miles of experience and is a champion.
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Brent Sass ?
Anna : One of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. I can’t think of anybody with more passion for racing and having dogs.
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Mitch Seavey ?
Kristy : Calculated and precise. A champion who has developed not only championship dogs, but a son who is as driven as he is.
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Jeff King ?
Anna : Innovator. He certainly has created some of the best equipment and sleds that are used today as well as a really successful bloodline.
Do you both have that one musher you look up to and why ?
Kristy : I definitely look up to Anna and I really appreciate Brent Sass.
He helped line me up for my first Yukon Quest with trail and checkpoint info and is an outstanding human being. Kind, happy and driven.
Do either of you have any dog mushing tips or secrets you can share with us ?
Anna : Learn as much as you can, ask tons of questions because there are a million ways to do everything in this sport.
What is the most memorable year of you taking part in the iditarod and why ?
Kristy : 2014 for a couple reasons.
First off, it was the toughest 1,000 mile dog sled race I’ve ever done.
There was only dirt, rocks and ice for the majority of the trail, the most intense section was from Rainy Pass to Nikolai.
I’ve never been more terrified for my dogs and my own safety.
The driving was far more than technical.
But the silver lining to this extreme adventure was meeting Andy Pohl, who is now my husband, in the middle of nowhere.
We crossed paths in Ophir, he was riding his fat tire snow bike towards Nome during the race.
It’s really a true love story.
I bet when you’re out on the trails, you experience many forms of nature, storms, rough terrain, jumble ice, predators, which one scares you the most ?
Anna : Weather and crumby trail conditions.
When you’re in it, that’s what you have to deal with.
The weather can make poor trail conditions or make troublesome trails worse.
A musher can be prepared the best they can and still be thwarted with these two obstacles.
When hunkering down at a checkpoint, what do you do? Eat ? Feed the dogs ? Sleep ? Or is there more to it ?
Kristy : Dog care is always number one.
The human always comes second.
While travelling between checkpoints, I think it’s good to mentally prepare yourself for your routine.
I like to make sure I’ve done all I can to make the dogs comfortable and happy, then move on to packing the sled for the next leg of the journey.
After that it’s time to get some rest, I don’t eat a lot at the checkpoint, I try to do that on the runners, to maximise sleep time.
What would you say is the friendliest place you pass through on the trail ?
Anna : It’s hard to pick just one place.
Many of the villages and checkpoints go above and beyond with the amenities and hospitality considering what is available in these remote places.
It’s very enjoyable to camp between checkpoints and take in the natural beauty of the Alaskan landscape.
I believe there is a lot of wildlife, including many predators out in Alaska. Have you ever had an encounter with a dangerous animal whilst out on a trail ?
Kristy : Moose are the most dangerous animals we come by.
As the winter wears on them, they become very grouchy, because they are starving and constantly out running predators in the deep snow.
When they get on our hard packed trails, they stand their ground and can growl like a grizzly!
Are either of you a fan of sled dog movies? Which one is your favourite ?
Anna : We both love Iron Will.
It was filmed very close to where we grew up.
We lived quite a ways away from a movie theatre so it was a real treat to get to go.
For our 10th birthday, our gift was to get to see Iron Will.
It’s a little more realistic than some of the other ones out there.
Do you both compete in smaller races like Copper Basin, Willow 300, Kobuk 440 ?
Kristy : Yes we do about 3 middle distance races every year.
We use them as first time experiences for our young dogs and also a tune up.
We like to make sure everything and everyone is running smooth and it’s nice to get exposed to other dog teams.
Is your kennel made up of Alaskan Huskies or do you also have Siberians ?
Anna : We run Alaskan Huskies.
We don’t breed many dogs at all, most of our bloodlines come from the Redingtons.
How do you choose where to take your mandatory 24 hour rest, as there are so many different places ? Do you take the rest together ?
Kristy : We do take our mandatory together.
Normally we do it around 350-400 miles in. We usually do Tokotna or Ophir.
Ophir is nice because it’s a little less busy. And of course I cherish this checkpoint because it’s where I met Andy.
Is there anything different about this year’s Iditarod that you are excited about with it being the 50th anniversary ?
Kristy : The 50th Iditarod wasn’t anything different than any other year.
It was an honour to be a part of it.
Do you choose to take your mandatory rest at a different place each year ?
Anna : No, I make a plan in February during food drops on where I want to stop for our 24 hour rest and if everything is working out accordingly, I’ll stick to my plan.
I always run on how the dogs are performing.
1000 miles is a long way to travel by dog sled. How do you keep fit and prepare for it ?
Kristy : In the summer months we run marathons together.
Anna also competes in several triathlons every year and I like to run a couple ultra marathons.
My husband and I also have a tandem bicycle.
We regularly ride a century every weekend.
In autumn we try to run as far as the dogs do until we can’t keep up, so if they’re running an eight mile run for training, we will try to do the same later that day.
Once they start their camping trips, we can’t keep up.
Can you compare running the Yukon quest to the Iditarod ?
Kristy : Yes and no, they’re the same but totally different.
I can’t say one is harder than the other because weather and trail conditions contribute greatly to how easy a race is.
Both of them are very challenging and rewarding.
What is your biggest achievement from any race ?
Kristy : I have won 2 races, the Northern Lights 300 and the Tug 150, but personally my biggest achievement was running both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod in the same year.
That was in 2012.
There aren’t many mushers in that club.
And finally, what’s the end goal for you girls ? I’m sure you both have many years of mushing still ahead of you, but what do you wish to achieve in that time? Are you happy to just keep on living the dream?
Anna : I want to keep living the dream and continue to grow and learn in this sport.
I want to do better for and with my dogs, as long as I can continue to provide the best care possible for them, I’ll keep on booting up and hitting the trails.
Time will tell. In a way, I’m like the dogs, I very much live in the present, and am happy where I am now.
A huge thank you to Kristy and Anna for taking time out of their busy schedules to take part in this interview.
The Beringtons are always great to watch in the Iditarod and we wish them every success for their next race and many more beyond.
If you want to find out more information about Seeing Double Sled Dog Racing – the website is SeeingDoubleSledDogRacing.com
