Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

Re: [RC] LD/50 times - SandyDSA

In a message dated 10/28/2006 4:47:10 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Bottom line there are those out there that are ripping it up in the
LD's. They have the horse to do it and they train to do it. On the other
hand there are 50 mile riders that are ripping it up. I think pretty
much the number or reasons someone will race an LD or 50 for that matter
on a given day are as numerous as the people that race them. I've raced
a 50 and I've raced an LD. I don't do it all the time - in fact I do it
seldom
Just a question - I have found that even LDs can be so different from each OTHER. There are some that at perhaps 30 miles are so rugged and technical that they can almost be compared in effort to an easier 50. Also, it has always seemed to me that complaining about LDers who race - not that the thread was doing this but it came to mind - some hot shoes a few seasons back made a big to-do about how people shouldn't waste their time on LDs and go straight to 50s  because LDers just run their horses into the ground. I thought then and I think now - if that were true - which I don't believe - then isn't it better to have the idiots racing only 25 as opposed to 50 miles? As in any sport, it is better for the athletes concerned to come up in the system, and it seems that LD has been a great ladder for many, and also a great place for rehabbing horses (and people) to get back into competition condition; a place to ride those last few competition miles with that old campaigner; and a place to bring up that new youngster without as much concern about injury.
 
In the times I am reading about, I wonder what rides they are - what the trails are like etc. I know for a FCT I could NEVER ride Malibu as fast as I could ride say Manzanita or Bear Valley - given the same horse in the same shape. There are other factors that don't lend themselves well to comparing ride times.
 
JMHO
s