Nelson County man prepares for grueling Iron Dog race

A Faber man faces days of subzero temperatures as he races across a harsh, rough landscape covered in 12 feet of snow to bring light to a cause.

On Feb. 17, Russ “Scardog” Simpson, owner of the Apple Shed on U.S. 29, will be the first Virginian to race in the Iron Dog, a physically demanding and difficult snow mobile race in harsh winter climates that even seasoned veterans don’t always finish. He will cover more than 1,100 miles of Alaskan terrain.

Along with the desire to finish, Simpson is racing for another goal — to bring awareness about the dangers, risks and warning signs of melanoma, something Simpson was diagnosed with in 2007. The Stage 2B melanoma was removed, leaving a six-inch scar on his shoulder.

“We want Nelson County to be a part of this and to be proud of it,” Simpson said of the race and Iron Dog SCAR (Skin Care Awareness Race), the nonprofit organization promoting awareness about skin cancer. He will be wearing a Nelson County Sheriff’s Patch on his jacket and his machine will have Apple Shed and Iron Dog SCAR stickers – the pieces of Nelson he will be taking with him.

Simpson, who has been snowmobiling for 10 years, prayed about the decision to enter the race, something he had been told would be extremely challenging. When he awoke on June 26, he said the decision to enter was clear.

“I felt that Christ had given me the sight to see to do this,” he said.

In preparation for the race, he spoke with a lot of Alaskans and past champions including Todd Palin, a 4-time winner. Palin gave Simpson advice including suggesting he do the trail class before attempting the pro class.

The route goes along the Iditarod trail, something Simpson finds interesting because the Iditarod honors a historic race to bring serum to an isolated settlement and he is racing to bring awareness to a disease.

With the nonprofit organization, Simpson and other members are promoting awareness for the disease through brochures, mailings and its website, irondogscar.org. It is also fundraising for skin cancer research conducted by Dr. Craig Slingluff and his team at the University of Virginia.

“Some of his patients are in Alaska, and without the vaccine, they would be six feet under,” Simpson said. “These are the heroes, people like Dr. Slingluff. They’re the ones finding cures to diseases out there.”

The partnership with Slingluff and Iron Dog SCAR began right after the organization’s creation on Aug.1 last year.

One of the fundraisers for the program will be a send-off dinner for Simpson this Saturday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Rutherford Law Agency in Lovingston. People are asked to bring a covered dish or dessert for the potluck dinner. There will be a silent-auction and a band playing.

Marian Dixon, the secretary/treasurer for the organization, is also a survivor of skin cancer and has lost her sister to it. She recognizes the importance of awareness and sees Simpson’s race as a way to send their message to not only Virginia but the rest of the world.

“So many people don’t know they have melanoma or have skin cancer before it’s too late,” Dixon said.

Current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer, according to the Iron Dog SCAR’s website.

Dixon also recognizes Simpson as an inspiration to everyone in the area through his determination to compete in the race and the healthier lifestyle he has adopted.

Simpson has shed more than 40 pounds, gained muscle and eats a healthier diet since he began training.

He began cycling twice a week in preparation for the race over the summer and has already clocked more than 2,000 miles along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive , battling the gusts of wind and single digit temperatures to help build his lower body and psychological strength. This is the closest he can get to the mind-numbing climate he will face in the Alaskan wilderness.

He also spends about two hours a day, four days a week working out at Any Time Fitness in Lovingston. Since September, two of the workout sessions are spent with his trainer, Jessica Smith, who puts him through a rigorous workout of push-ups, weights and anything to keep Simpson’s heart rate up.

“The training is designed to wear him out because he needs to work on endurance,” Smith said. “The race is all about endurance.”

Since Simpson adapts to the training quickly, Smith has had to change up the routine to keep him on his toes.

“He’s a very interesting person,” Smith said. “He’s very funny and has a great sense of humor. He’s great to work with.”

She said she has enjoyed his numerous stories even if she has had to tell him to stop talking and get back to the exercises.

Simpson has not done many miles on a snowmobile in training for the race. His snowmobile is in Alaska where Danny Gueco, an expert at snow machines, is modifying Simpson’s black machine with a bigger gas tank, studded tires and a special bracket near the engine to keep Simpson’s drinking water from freezing in the 40 below temperatures.

Simpson leaves for Alaska on Feb. 2 where he will spend time breaking in the snowmobile and acclimating to the cold weather. While he is gone in February, the Apple Shed will be open Friday through Sunday.

Even with all of the preparation, Simpson is unsure what will happen in the coming months. Win or lose, Simpson considers this race a trial for next year when he hopes to compete in the pro-class.

“I have to get up there and do what I do.” He added, “My goal is to finish and come back alive. It’s a dangerous race.”