ridecamp@endurance.net: ride descriptions

ride descriptions

Diana L. Benson (dbenson@juno.com)
Thu, 6 Mar 1997 10:04:55 PST

Hi All -

Just throwing this out for discussion - this was something I started in dBase IV about seven years ago and then life intervened and I really
hadn't thought about it again until the ride descriptions thread
developed. Probably still have my notes somewhere...

My idea was to develop a computer program/system that would help me
measure my (i.e., my horse's) degree of improvement from one endurance race to the next. The variables are complex and would probably need to be
defined on a percentage basis - or some other numerical coding.

Just because one ride is finished slower than another wouldn't necessarily mean my degree of improvement had diminished. Perhaps the slower ride
was much more difficult, climatic conditions were different etc.

The computer program needed two main divisions for comparison. The first
related to the endurance race it's self. That is, the "degree of
difficulty" needed to be defined. Degree of difficulty could include:

General trail footing
Average elevation
Variance of elevation (frequency and difference)
Length of ride (25, 30, 35, 50, 60, 75, 100)
Ambient temperature and humidity
Distance hauled to race
Rest time between hauling to camp and start of race
Water availability on trail
Total weight horse carried
Amount of ride in total sun light (lots of shady forest trails definitely
help!)
Hold time (actually, total rest time including the time to bring the htr
down)
Another variable that can affect some horses are the lengths of loops.
(Four 12.5 loops in 50 or three 17 mile loops)

The second division in the program, required to ratio against the first,
would be the "measure of performance." This would relate to what the
horse "accomplished" at the race.

Average mph throughout the race, and broken down per loop
Finishing time (without holds included)
Metabolic & mechanical scoring on horse
Placing vs number of entries (also considering number of pulls as part of
the degree of difficulty)

Anyhow, this is quoted from memory (notes filed somewhere) so there are
probably things I'm leaving out. It would be impossible to make this
absolute because a number a factors rely on judgements. The idea was
just to make a measuring stick for the individual rider to use against
himself. Maybe I can work on this project again. Would anyone like to
have something like this to use for themselves?

Diana Benson
Joplin MO

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