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Re: [RC] Ways To Know You Are Ready for 100 Miler? - Barbara McCrary

This is a very interesting post and one that I am giving a lot of thought
to.  I just finished my "new" horse's first 50 miler.  He did exceptionally
well.....finished 18th out of maybe 50 starters in a total overall time of
6:15.  It's not the finishing position that impressed me but his pulse
recoveries, his attitude, his lack of fatigue, his energy level the next
morning.  I rode very conservatively to see how he handled the trail and the
workload.  I've never ridden a horse that had so much left over after a 50.
He is just coming up 8 years old and I have spent nearly two years trail
training, legging up, conditioning.  It paid off on that ride and I was
delightfully surprised.  By Lew Hollander's suggestion, this horse could
probably do a 100, but I'm not trying this yet.  I want to ride a few more
50 milers to make sure that one wasn't a fluke :-))  My granddaughter wants
to ride Swanton Pacific 75 and still needs a sponsor.  Her mom wants me to
be that sponsor, and I might just do it.  The horse is not
comfortable.....his trot is a bit big, but he has a lope to die for and a
very fast walk, particularly uphill.  If I can survive it, I feel confident
the horse can.  This particular horse makes me tempted to try a 100 again
someday like no other horse I have ridden in MANY years.  He has so much
promise.....  Why didn't he come into my life when I was younger????

Barbara McCrary

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Long" <jlong@xxxxxxxx>
To: "Truman Prevatt" <tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 9:42 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] Ways To Know You Are Ready for 100 Miler?


On Mon, 17 May 2004 16:22:13 -0400, Truman Prevatt
<tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Hollander suggest a 6 hour 50 as the key. When you think about it if
they can do a 50 in 6 hours you won't want to do the first 50 of a 100
in that time. So say 7 hours. Since the horse has done a 50 already he
won't do the second 50 in 7 hours so say 8 hours. Now depending on where
you ride you will most likely end up in the dark and you will slow down.
That adds an hour or two. Now your are looking at between 15 to 17 hours
out. Add 3 hours hold time and your are looking at 18 to 20 hours. That
leaves your with the necessary margin of time to get lost and still make
it ;-).

So a 6 to maybe 7 hour 50 seems to be a pretty good number to shoot for.

I think that's about right.  I would add that you and your horse need to
be able
to do 50 mile rides in seven hours or less AND not be exhausted at the end
of
the ride -- still feel able to go back out.  If you're making 50 in seven
hours
but are completely hammered at the end, how are you going to do 50 more?

I'm not saying "not feel tired."  There is a different psychology in
riding a
100 than a fifty.  As you approach the 50-mile vet check you are thinking
of it
as only a vet check, not the end.  Of course, you're also pacing for 100
miles
(that is, riding more slowly).  So you don't feel the same as you would if
you
were finishing a 50.  It may sound strange, but that's how it works.

In fact, that's something to keep in mind when deciding to try a 100.  You
will
NOT feel as "used up" after 50 miles of a 100 as you may be feeling at the
end
of a fifty.  Something about being focused on the miles to go makes a real
difference.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxx
http://www.rnbw.com

============================================================
You don't have to be a 100-mile rider or a multi-day rider to be an
endurance rider, but if you want to experience the finest challenges our
sport has to offer, you need to do both of those.
~ Joe Long

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

============================================================


============================================================
One would think that logic would prevail. But then, if logic did prevail,
men would ride sidesaddle. 
~  Bob Morris

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

============================================================

Replies
[RC] Ways To Know You Are Ready for 100 Miler?, RISTREE
Re: [RC] Ways To Know You Are Ready for 100 Miler?, Truman Prevatt
Re: [RC] Ways To Know You Are Ready for 100 Miler?, Joe Long