OK, to be honest, having NEVER completed a 100, I don't really feel that I
have ANY right to have much say in this....but this thought struck me after
reading the dilemma posted earlier. Why not treat "de-elevating" just like
elevating? You get to keep MILEAGE, and get completion, but NO
placing. That means that even though they stopped earlier, and possibly
did the 50 in 3 hours (I'm just throwing out a time) the riders who started the
50 to finish the 50 are the only ones eligible for top 10 placing/points.
Then ride management only has to look at the rider's card and record the miles
successfully completed, and not worry about placing adjustments-is that too much
worse than determining pulled vs. completed? (Honest question-RMs,
opinions?)
I AM cheap, and in some ways it would be nice to me if I could keep miles
that I had successfully completed-sometimes I just can't afford to go try again
for those miles even if my horse is ready (especially since the next 100 in the
range that I can rationally drive to isn't until mid May (and that is 400 miles
away....). I WANT to try again (we pulled at 50 miles on our only 100
attempt to date, due to a stupid mistake on MY part). I loved it, though,
and I'm really looking forward to trying our first 75 in a little over a week,
but in hindsight, if I had been planning on a 50, I would not have made the
mistake I made and would have had that completion...
As I said, I am not really sure just how I feel about the concept. I
don't feel like I have enough background to try to sway anyone, but this was the
thought that occurred to me....
Faustina AERC#33830
No matter what ANYONE says, if you are truly trying to accomplish a
year's worth of position, this matters. If I have 25 riders against me
in a 100, I am riding my ride according to my abilities and my plan, and I
know who on the trail is part of my ride. Same for a 50. If a
bunch of riders enter the 100, and then decide to stop @ 50, then I suddenly
have riders who are competing against me in the 50 mile ride who I never saw
during the day. THE 100 MILERS ALMOST ALWAYS START EARLIER!!!!
This scenario leaves every rider not knowing their position in the pack.
Does this matter??? Hell, yes, to those who are really crusading for
something, no matter what that crusade is. You might run for the finish and
gain precious points if you and one of your tight competitors are together at
the finish line. If your "nearest competitor" has actually started an
hour or two earlier than you, then you are riding against a real "mystery
rider". You won't know your position until the ride manager and
secretary sort it all out.
This also makes a mightmare for the vets and
the ride managers. If you start 13 riders in the 100, and 4 of them quit
early and take 50 miles credit, then it makes points a nightmare. How do
you credit points correctly? Starters? Who changes distances in
mid-ride? I am a pretty good bookkeeper, and I would NOT like to do the
math on this kind of mess.
