Three-time Iditarod winner Lance Mackey is warming up for next year’s event at another race in Alaska this week.

Mackey is among the field at the Gin Gin 200, a 200-mile race which kicked off on December 28th 2009.

Organisers told the Anchorage Daily News the event is being played out on a difficult course this year.

Race marshal John Schandelmeier said: "In spite of being relatively flat, this course covers some of the coldest and remote areas of the Copper River Basin."

Another Iditarod racer, Mitch Seavey, is also taking on the Alaska Range circuit.

Mackey is using the event as a chance to gear up for a tilt at his fourth Iditarod title in a row.

Other mushers set to be on the starting line at the 1,000-mile race between Anchorage and Nome include Jeff King, Newton Marshall and Hans Gatt.

The event begins on March 6th 2010.