Iditarod 2012 Update: Day Three, Part Two

The run to Nikolai this afternoon has been the most exciting leg of the Iditarod race so far, with Aliy Zirkle barely clinging to her lead as she headed on to McGrath checkpoint around 2p.m. this afternoon.

Last year's champion John Baker moved up ten spots to second place and four time champion Lance Mackey moved ahead 2 spots to secure third place, with 22 minutes separating first and second place and 33 minutes separating second and third place.

Look for the faster paced mushers like Mackey to take advantage of the shorter checkpoint distances and start gaining ground over the next several days.

Stay tuned for more Iditarod updates from I Has a Hot Dog!