25 Toughest Athletes; Mackey #2

April 14, 2008 | Tags: Dog Mushing, Lance Mackey

Sports Illustrated has published a list of the 25 Toughest Athletes. Our very own Lance Mackey finished number two, although many on the SI comment boards thought he should be first. SI tells us what makes him tough:

Caginess and steadfast refusal to quit in the face of throat cancer (2001), hostile terrain and 40-below temperatures. He did the impossible in sled dog racing — win the 1,000- mile Yukon Quest and 1,100-mile Iditarod within a month – not once, but in two straight years, most recently this year on frostbitten feet that hadn’t fully healed after the Quest.

Check out our coverage of the Mackey toughness, then leave a comment and let us know why you think he should be #1.