Re: Determining conditioning distances

["Robert Morris" <bobmorris@rmci.net>]

Ride Camp and all interested:

Question comes to my mind?? Why do you need to know the distance you ride
in conditioning?

Here in my area you can ride 15 miles in the desert on relatively flat
roads or you can ride 15 miles in the hills on trails that will give you
3,000 elevation gain in that distance. 

Both rides give you 15 miles but which one will give you the best
conditioning for cardiovascular fitness???

I would suggest you measure your conditioning by the effort expended and
your recovery times. Work (i.e. horse power expended) is a measure of
effort compared to time, not distance (unless the distance is an effort in
itself)

We have, in our experience of training, over the past twenty years kept
records of the time spent on the trail and not the miles covered. We know
how long we ride and the approximate speed (dependent on the terrain) so we
can estimate our distance covered if necessary. However we have found that
necessity is only good for bragging rights.

So, if you want a true measure of conditioning go to a time basis. Quality
time will give much better results than measured miles.


Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID

----------
> From: S. Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: Re: Determining conditioning distances
> Date: Monday, April 06, 1998 7:05 PM
> 
> >> Sue asked:
> >> 
> >> > Is there some formula that can be used to determine how far you have
> ridden
> >> > during a normal conditioning ride? 
> >
> >Invest in a GPS :) nifty tools....
> 
> A what???
> 
> Sue
> sbrown@wamedes.com
> Tyee Farm
> Marysville, Wa.
>