Re: Conditioning for 100 milers

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

>At 09:16 AM 9/7/00 +0200, Tracey wrote:

Sarah Ralston wrote:

>        In some of the recent threads it was suggested
> that one ought to train a horse longer distances than
> you expect to compete, >>>

>I don't believe that is what I said :  I said that, with careful training,
>you should, before entering a competition of any kind, endeavour to ensure
>that your horse is fit enough to do MORE than what you are asking of him.
>If he is only fit enough to finish, say 100 miles, your horse will get into
>trouble if you experience unforseen problems on the day of the race.

>>Tracey
So you should do more than 100 miles in one day in training? I really
don't think that is what you mean, but that's the way it reads to me,
which is why I threw out my query (yes, semantics again-this quorum reaslly
does
make you pay attention to your use of english!). I absolutely agree that you
want your horse fit enough to do more than you are asking in competition,
since
that is the definition of completion "fit to continue"! But that does not
necessarily mean
that you do the distance repeatedly before the actual competition.
I think the resultant discussion clarified things nicely.

Sarah and Fling (getting a bit fat and out of shape-time to start training
again for those rides in late october and november)