Not even the best dogs run at a moderate speed of 8-9MPH from Willow to Yentna. Without both feet fully on the drag mat, it's really impossible to slow those excited dogs down. Many mushers will tell you their foot is on the break for at least a couple hundred miles, if not longer, of a 1,000 mile race. You absolutely can crash your own team. They will run 12-16 MPH in full lope unless you slow then down.