Updated: March 3, 2018 
Published March 3, 2018 
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The 46th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race began Saturday with the ceremonial start in Downtown Anchorage.
Starting at 10 a.m., 67 dog teams began departing every two minutes in an untimed trek across the city to Campbell Airstrip. The roughly 1,000-mile race begins for real with a restart Sunday in Willow.
For the first time, PETA and other animal welfare activists brought their protest of the race to the starting line, displaying five large plush dogs and a mock graveyard to symbolize huskies that died during the 2017 race.
Norwegian musher Lars Monsen said that a dog from his team ran away early in the day and was seeking help from the public in finding the husky.