I know the race Iditarod , but what is the origin of the word?

I will let you do the research but here are some good links

First, Iditarod was a word used by Athabascans that meant FAR DISTANT PLACE.

Second, Iditarod was a word used by other Native Alaskans that meant CLEAR WATER. Now that’s really interesting because Eau Claire is French and it means CLEAR WATER.

Finally, a ROD is a measure of distance and so one miner might ask another, “How’d you do today?” The miner would answer, “I-DID-A-ROD.” The most commonly accepted meaning is “Far Distant Place.”

OFFICIAL SITE OF THE IDITAROD

http://www.iditarod.com/

http://www.iditarod.com/learn/trivia.html

http://iditarodblogs.com/zuma/tag/meaning-of-idita...

If this isnt an assignment-- I can help further

:)

http://homeschoolinthewoods.com/UnitStudies/iditar...

http://iditarod.com/learn/history.html

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iditarod

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race,

an annual sled dog race in the Alaskan Interior and western coast

Iditarod Trail,

a historical trail across the Alaskan Interior

Iditarod, Alaska,

a town for which the trail and races are named

Iditarod River,

a river in Alaska flowing through the Iditarod mining district and town

Iditarod comes from the Athabascan word "Haidilatna." There are many translations for the word, but the most accepted is: "a distant or far off place."