Ridecamp: RE: [RC] finish line, ride time

> for endurance rides, the ride time clock stops when you finish the
> course. for LDs, the ride time clock stops when you meet the post ride
> criteria.  In both cases, completion is when you have passed the post
> finish line vet check.

In response to the concept that having the clock continue to the point of
pulse recovery puts an unfair burden on the slower LD riders so that they
have to "ride faster" than those on longer distances, I think folks forget
that the in most cases, LD riders have a lower percentage of their elapsed
time taken up by mandatory holds at vet checks, never mind that with
(usually) only one vet check (as opposed to most commonly 3 on 50-milers),
they also have less times during the ride that they are losing time while
the clock runs during pulse recovery at checks.  Although I did ride an LD
this year with an hour hold, it is far more common to have a half hour at
most, giving the average LD rider at least 5:30 of the 6 hours for riding
time.  Many 50's have two 15-minute holds as well as a longer hold midway
of 45 minutes to an hour, so that in reality, they on average have only
10:30 to 10:45 of their 12 hours to utilize as riding time (whereas they'd
have 11 hours of it if their holds were the same percentage as most 25's).
 By the same token, 100's would have 22 hours of riding time if on the
same percentage--but in fact, they usually have at least three longer
holds in addition to shorter holds, so may well only have 20 to 21 hours
of their elapsed time to utilize as riding time.
Given the above perspective, I don't think it is any undue burden on LD
riders to have to include their recovery time at the end of the ride in
their 6 hours.  It has been my own experience in managing and vetting many
rides since the inception of the concept of having the LD clock continue
to run until the pulse meets a reasonable criterion that those riders
finishing near the end of the allowable time usually do not take anywhere
near half an hour to recover anyway.  If they do, I'd submit that the
horse is not in sufficient condition to merit completion anyway--he might
not have met the pulse criterion at all had he been pushed any faster.
One has to set the bar somewhere to define the sport.  LD rides, while
they may not "be" endurance rides per se, are still run in the same spirit
as regular length endurance rides, which means that there is some element
of beating the clock while maintaining the horse in acceptable condition
to continue on.  I can't speak to whether or not the verbiage needs to be
clarified--it always seemed perfectly clear to me.  However, I support the
notion that the LD rides should end at 6 hours (for 25's--with
proportionate increases in time for longer mileages), that the clock
should not stop until the pulse criterion is met, and that one is allowed
half an hour to do so.  This has been an effective tool in slowing down
those NOT fit to race, and in making the LD "races" less flat out, as well
as providing additional training in getting one's horse into a check point
in such a manner that his pulse WILL come down as well as in getting to
the PR crews, etc., in a timely fashion.
Heidi



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