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LATEST
Cindy has raced for 13 years, since 1998 when
she finished 48th. She has finished 11 of her races
with a high of 33 in 2003. She finished last year
in 64th
Bio
Results
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Contact: cindygallea.com
Bio
Cindy Gallea, 64, grew up on a farm in Minnesota
where she experienced the pleasure of the outdoors
and the good feeling of interacting with animals.
She graduated from the University of Washington in
1990 with a Master’s degree in nursing. She
has worked as a nurse practitioner for the last 25
years. Cindy says, “I started running sled
dogs when I lived in northern Minnesota in the late
1980’s. The more I ran dogs, the more my
passion for the sport grew. I moved west for
professional reasons and lived in Montana for 20
years. Western Montana is a dog mushing paradise
with good training and breath taking beauty. But in
2010, I returned to Minnesota to be closer to
family. I now live in southern Minnesota, which is
not a prime dog mushing area. But my passion for
sled dogs and the Iditarod remains the same. So I
have run the Iditarod several times since living in
Southern Minnesota. Each time, I have said it is my
‘last Iditarod.’ But I have found it
difficult to let go of something that is deep in my
soul and that gives me the opportunity to run my
dogs for days through the beauty of Alaska.”
Cindy is the mother of two adult sons: Iditarod
veteran, Jim, who still participates as a race
official during the Iditarod, and Brian. She lists
her hobbies as bicycling, hiking, outdoor
activities, politics and “my sons and
grand-daughter.”
Cindy Gallea, 58, grew up on a farm in Minnesota
where she experienced the pleasure of the outdoors
and the good feeling of interacting with animals.
She began mushing in 1987 and moved to Montana in
1990 to mush dogs, enjoy the beauty of the State
and for work. A graduate of St. Olaf College with a
BS in Nursing in 1973 and from the University of
Washington with a Master's in nursing in 1990; she
now has been a nurse practitioner for 19 years.
After seeing the 1996 finish of the Iditarod, she
knew she wanted to run the Race. "I am a long-time
dog musher, a mother of two adult sons, and a nurse
practitioner. I cherish each of these aspects of my
life and try to find a good balance for all of
these. I run the Iditarod because it is an
exhilarating physical and mental challenge in a
place of extraordinary beauty and done with amazing
canine athletes. But running Iditarod is something
more-it is an opportunity to immerse oneself in
some of the best and most basic aspects of
life-natural beauty, canine companionship,
interaction with others who understand why we do
what we do, outdoor activity and a spiritual
connection. She is a member of the Montana Mountain
Mushers and says she enjoys hiking, exercise,
outdoor activities, and peace & justice issues.
Cindy has two adult sons, Jim, 29 (an Iditarod
veteran) and Brian, 25.
Results
Cindy has raced for 13 years, since 1998 when
she finished 48th. She has finished 11 of her races
with a high of 33 in 2003. She finished last year
in 64th.
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