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Re: [RC] Some Thoughts on Pacing (Part 1) - rides2far



I wanted to do a wide variety of terrain?flat, 

mountainous, sandy,
etc. My goal was a 6 ½ mph average.  


Jim, I really disagree with dividing your time up evenly and wanting to
keep an even pace. Might work for some but not at all for me. At least on
a ride where the trail isn't a smooth open dirt road you are going to go
much slower after dark. Also, if it gets warm things are going to slow
down in the afternoon. To me, that's not so bad. Different speeds use
different muscle groups. That piddling along in the hot afternoon seems
to rest my horse up a bit for the big push to cover ground before dark.
Once dark hits it ain't gettin' no darker so now it's time to relax and
enjoy the fact that you've only got 20 miles to go...not 50!

On the sand. Man, your trails are like mine at home so sand is a killer
for us. I avoid it like the plague which explains why I have no FLA rides
on my record. I have done the 100 at Liberty, but he also strained a
suspensory in that ride. Kaboot's only two injuries that I can think of
that took him out of competition were both due to sand. The first was a
torn tendon sheath at Graniteville (Million PInes seems to be within our
tolerance level).  People talk about finding a doable first 100 and think
"flat", but "doable" is relative. For your horses and mine Biltmore is
like home and sand is an alien situation. One thing I've noticed at
Million PInes...if I plan to run up front there's less risk because the
sand is still firm before the masses hit it. If you're in front you've
got fairly firm footing. If you're in last place you're riding on plowed
ground. The fact that there were so many horses there this year probably
worked against you. 

As for the rump rug...I know I've warned ya on that one before here on
ridecamp. You're so warm moving along till it gets dark and everything
slows down and your suddenly chilled. That's the only time I use a rump
rug in competition. :-)

Sounds to me like you had your horse ready, but he was ready for a
different course. :-P

Angie

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