ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Ivers last comment on Carbos, etc

Re: Ivers last comment on Carbos, etc

Tivers (Tivers@aol.com)
Sat, 6 Dec 1997 12:20:57 EST

In a message dated 97-12-06 10:52:55 EST, truman.prevatt@netsrq.com writes:
Truman, I reversed your two paragraphs so that I might shatter them one at a
time, in order of importance.

Believe me folks if the simple reductionist approach of breaking everything
down into small pieces and evaluating each independently doesn't work for a
simple physical system (and it doesn't) it does not have a chance for
something as complex biological systems such as a horse. In physics
reductionism was recognized to be inadequate in about 1910.

If you cannot measure the entire system, in all its aspects, then you are
destined to remain completely ignorant of its components and their
relationships to one another, by your logical system. I don't think the
airplane, the light bulb, the concept and use of electricity, the wheel--any
of these tools came about via your way of thinking. Instead, somebody tried
something, nine times it didn't work, then on the tenth attempt, it worked.

<< The same is true for an endurance horse. The system as a whole has to be
considered. The production and use of energy involves a lot more that
carbs, fat, etc. It involves hydration, it involves electrochemical
reactions, it involves production of and dissipation of heat, it involves
hormonal control of the biochemical functions of the body. I would
estimate that in a 100 mile race these things are much more critical than
what is eaten. >

And what are your estimations based upon? A deep knowledge of the entire
system?
What is the Krebs Cycle and where does it fit in, what are the reactions in
the glycolysis cascade and how are they affected by exercise and nutrition,
what is the heat produced by one complete contraction of the muscle cells of
the gluteus medius of a 1,000lb horse? How many red cells are sequestered in
the spleen of an endurance horse and what percentage are still sequestered at
the end of a ride? Hell, I can come up with a thousand questions that neither
you nor I --nor anybody--know the answers to. So you're saying we should just
turn off our brains and wait for pronouncements from the authorities--who
generally know less than anybody else actually out there in the ride--to tell
us how to feed and water animals for which we have total responsibility?

Truman, it's not only the academics and physicists who have the right to think
and experiment and learn.

ti



Truman >>

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