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NAME: BRUCE LINTON
AGE: 45
HOMETOWN: Kasilof, Alaska
WIFE: Melissa
CHILDREN: Brody, 3 months
OCCUPATION: Environmental Compliance and Safety Officer for the Homer Electric Association
Bruce Linton is on a mission to prove that a diabetic can run one of the toughest races in the world. Prepared with his new Medtronic blood-sugar measuring device and the support of his devoted wife Melissa, he plans to complete this year’s race with flying colors.
Linton was raised in Philadelphia and studied at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, where he received two degrees, one in environmental science and the other in mathematics/computer science. Soon after graduation, Linton worked for an environmental contractor near Boston and at the same time pursued his master's degree in civil engineering at Tufts University. In 1994, he moved to Vermont and worked for the state government as an environmental scientist. In 1998, while working for the State of Vermont, he began mushing and soon after started a dog-sled touring business called Green Mountain Dog Sled Adventures. The company grew quickly and in 2004 Linton resigned from his environmental job to run the business full time.
Unexpectedly, the touring business took over his life and Linton realized that he couldn't live his dream of training and racing his dogs while running his
business. "I needed to make a change." He moved from Vermont to Kasilof with his wife, Melissa Stavola, in the summer of 2006 to fulfill his lifelong dream of running the Iditarod; Linton participated in the 2007 competition.
In his spare time Linton enjoys running marathons and competing in triathlons. He has finished 14 marathons and three Ironman Triathlons. Linton managed to complete all of these athletic events as a type I diabetic, which brings its own set of challenges. He is committed to spreading the word that diabetics can achieve anything as long as they take care of themselves, live a healthy lifestyle and "dream big" with a positive attitude. When not working or training his sled dogs, Linton gives talks around the country to diabetics of all ages and children about the Iditarod and living their dreams.
More: We had questions, Bruce answered them
All the mushers from the series:
