Old Dominion 50-we did it!

[Sarah Ralston <ralston@AESOP.RUTGERS.EDU>]

We did it! Fling and I came in 37th out of 50 (68 started) in the Old
Dominion 50! It was her first 50, only my second (last one was 13 years ago
on Fling's dam in Colorado). Thanks IMMENSELY to the crewing efforts of
Bonnie Snodgrass, who patiently put up with me and made sure everything got
done at the checks. I never did catch up with Patti (where were you?) for
the USA East raffle-ended up buying my ticket from Lani Newcomb. I rode
part of the way with Holly Leaman-her mare, Annie, was a lot like Fling-as
long as it was just the two of them they were happy as clams, but let
another group pass us or show up in the distance-yahoo-it's race time! It
was fun and she's great company. Her daughter and wonderful granddaughter,
Eva, were crewing for her-watch out for Eva in the future, she's going to
be a great junior competitor!
	They do not exagerate the difficulty of this ride-two MAJOR rocky climbs
and descents, with lots of other more "normal" type hills and hard
hard-packed roads. The narrow, rocky climb up the first one (Edinburgh
gap?) put everything I saw in the Colorado Rockies to shame! Someone had
put up little signs at the steepest, rockiest part saying things like "Hi,
Jeff" (Crandell I assume, who was competing on a lovely young horse and was
in the top ten), "Wait for me...", "are we almost there yet?", "I think I
can, I think I can...", "look left-it's a gorgeous view" (which it was!)
that really were fun. The scenery was breath taking and the rush of
conquering those climbs is still with me-not to mention the thrill of
wading across the Shenandoah twice. The trail was well marked, thanks to
trail master, Johnny Crandell. Just when you started to get a little
nervous that you might have missed a turn, that blue and white ribbon would
show up (or in my case, not show up, so you back track 1/8th mile to find
the turn you missed!). Despite the drought, there was enough water on
trail. I was still having electrolyte problems with Fling but am getting
better at managing her. Bottom line: if her heart rate is irregular when we
reach a check I electrolyte the heck out of her, otherwise try to keep it
conservative. She was irregular at the first three checks-but converted
within 10 minutes of getting her electrolytes, though it took a double dose
at one point.  She only gets into problems, it seems, when she has
prolonged "mind farts" on trail (MOM-there are horses ahead of us-let's
catch them NOW) so I am convinced her "nervous sweat" has a different
electrolyte composition than her "working sweat" (which I hope to document
at my next ride, the NY100, by taking sweat samples and getting them
analyzed-ah, the science of a one rat trial). Once I find the difference,
I'll  formulate a recipe for "Mind Fart Lytes"! Or should I call them DIMR
Lytes? 
Anyway, she remained well hydrated and had a great attitude throughout,
though at one point in the first really steep, rocky descent, she stopped
and looked back at me as if to say "do we have to come back UP this? If so,
please let's turn around NOW!". I promised her we didn't have to go back up
it, failing to realize there were even worse climbs ahead. But she chugged
right up the infamous Sherman's Gap like trooper. I was glad we were alone
at that point because it was so rocky that she had to pay close
attention-not worrying about what the other horses were doing, as she
usually does.
    What a ride! Great people, gorgeous weather, really challenging trail.
They say it's hard to be humble if you complete the OD 100-weell-I think
it's hard to be humble if you do the 50! On to the 100 in the year 2000.
Based on my reaction so far, if I complete the 100 I'll be unbearable! I'll
leave the report of the results to someone with a better memory, but a BIG
congratulations to Stagg Newman on his young horse, the appropriately named
"Super" for not only finally getting the OD100 monkey off his back (don't
know how many times he had tried to complete it without success) but coming
in first about an hour ahead of the next people, Betty Baker and Patti
Pizzo. The five horses that stood for the 100 BC the next morning all
looked fabulous-a bit stiff here and there, but overall great. We've come a
long way in this sport.

Off the revel in my memories and start plotting my approach to the NY 100. 
Thanks again, Bonnie, Holly, oh yes, and Roger Rittenhouse! He was helping
everyone and gave great advice to us rookies!

Sarah and Fling-she's number one in my book!
 
	


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