Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Minimum speed training

I wasn't trying to point out to anybody that they haven't gone as far or 
as fast as they thought and I'm sorry if I did that or implied that or 
anything like that. Just airing my own grapplings with the topic.

We are doing some interval training, but steady is much more preferrable 
to me than spurting. So I'm basing my training on a steady pace, not a 
pace with bursts of speed. And I'm not saying at ALL that that's the 
ONLY or the BEST way to train. Just my way. And I'll never get the 100s 
of miles in one season that others get simply because of time and the 
shortage of multi-days in the Southeast (since I don't do Saturday rides).

And just for the record, I haven't  been trying to follow the 
recommended MPH training schedule. I am just trying to train my boys to 
go at least the minimum speed necessary to complete.

So, consider a 50 miler with 3 vet checks. I have 12 hours to complete, 
from start to finish including all vet checks and holds. If each vet 
check has a hold time of 40 minutes (starting to sound like a 4th grade 
math problem, isn't it ;)) and I estimate it will take 5 minutes at each 
check to pulse down, my total allowed ride time is 12 hours minus the 2 
hours 15 minutes taken to pulse down and have a hold at each check. 
Total ride time is 9 hours 45 minutes. 50 miles divided by 9.75 hours 
comes out to a 5.13 mph steady pace. (Please note, these numbers are 
fictional and may vary for your ride.)

I need to get my boys to do a steady pace of 5.13 mph for an extended 
period of time (whether we trot at 5.13 mph the WHOLE time, or walk some 
and throw in some cantering doesn't really matter...what matters is the 
average speed over time). Anyway, if I can't train them safely to that, 
how can I expect them to do it for 50 miles if they can't do it for 25 
or 30 miles in training?

April
Nashville, TN
Ps. if you wonder why I'm posting so much, it's because I'm sick and 
have nothing else to do but analyze my training metrics. :)

Karen wrote:

> It sounds like you've got it figured out, April. :-)
>
> Once you ride enough, you'll be able to get a good grasp of what your 
> overall average speed is and how far you've gone based upon that 
> knowledge.  I find it's usually best not to point out to people that 
> they haven't gone as far (or as fast) as they think they have, they 
> kinda get annoyed when you do that <g>.
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Karen
> in NV
>
> P.S.  and if you read the AERC riders handbook, you'll realize that 
> it's probably not a good idea to try to follow the recommended MPH 
> training schedule.  :>)  (btw, neither of my 5000 mile horses have yet 
> met the first 0-90 day training recommendations, I just can't seem to 
> get it figured out......lol)



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