Cindy
Gallea

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
Related Issue: Iditarod Racers, Women Racers Directory, Women in Racing, Women Racers, More Women in Racing, Race Schedules, Notable Women
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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