Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Seems two threads this week are paradoxical:  one suggests that some of 
you would like to see more people complete 100 mile rides;  the second 
suggests that endurance riding in general is becoming whimpier as the 
"sport" becomes more popular.
A couple of thoughts:
*A long-distance runner, I don't recall marathoners being irritated by 
the ascendancy of 10K's and half-marathons.  We saw them both as ends 
unto themselves and/or steppingstones to the next distance up.  
Marathoners continue to be respected as just a little beyond those mere 
mortals who run shorter distances, but. overall, MANY more people came 
into running--and eventually some of them went all the way up to 
marathoning--because of those shorter distances.
*as a high school teacher very proud of winning, simultaneously, awards 
as "hardest teacher" and "favorite teacher" in a school known for its 
rigor, I understand the fear of lowering standards. Lowered standards 
hurt everyone.  But, at the same time, I don't understand a fear of 
giving credit for accomplishment.  Giving "partial credit" is not  the 
same thing as giving credit for nothing.  It's simply what it says it 
is, credit for doing part of something rather than all of something.  
There's no room for moralizing in that.

By the way, I wouldn't be too quick to brag about having slept in a 
crib painted in lead paint--people might start to look at you funny.   
:-)  Betcha you wouldn't paint your horse's stall with lead paint.  
Some new ideas are simply better than the old way.

Mary K who would jump right into a 100 mile ride but fears that her 
horse will die doing so.




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