From Kyle Hopkins in White Mountain --

Commanding a once-promising team of “sick and tired” dogs, former champion Mitch Seavey appears out of the running for a 2012 Iditarod win.

His huskies became ill, suffering from diarrhea and occasional vomiting, before they reached the Yukon River, Seavey said. "If things had gone better it was a first class team."

"Now we'll just chug on in," he said.

The 52-year-old entered the race with what he considered one of his fastest-ever Iditarod teams and has been running to win a second title. In a way, he said, it’s been a heartbreaking journey.

One of Seavey's toughest competitors has been his son and, he says, best friend, 25-year-old Dallas.

"If I were on the sidelines not racing, obviously I'd want him to win. And yet I'm trying to race to win, so there's a conflict there," the elder Seavey said today in Koyuk, where he left in 5th place shortly before 1 p.m.

Dallas is leading the race tonight according to the satellite tracker. Barring any surprises, the younger Seavey has the win in hand, his father said at about noon.

"He's got it sewn up if he does what he knows how to do, and that's run dogs," Mitch said.

Here’s more from the 2004 Iditarod champion.