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No panic here, no I am NOT even considering doing a 100 miler..
well maybe I should not say ever..

Now to reminisce..
Way back -- like 73 to 95. When I lived "up nawrth"   in SOUTHERN PA,
we all rode ECTRA CTR ride. These rides were based on time and
condition only.. so they were great precursors for endurance. We had NO
LDs, we used the CTR one day rides called LIMITED DISTANCE.. hehehe
guess where this is going.

Then we, who were competitive and looking for a bigger challenge moved
to the MIDDLE DISTANCE  or 2 day rides mostly 50 miles but some 60
milers.

The ultimate was EXTENDED DISTANCE or 3 day 100 milers. 40/40/20. For
those who wanted to extend their horses and  themselves, we moved up..

No where in ECTRA was it considered improper to move up to a 3 day 100
then next week drop back to a LIMITED DISATNCE one day 25.
Each division was separate. We gained points for each division. Yes, I
did ride for points or fame and glory. My horses did well. Think I did
something right.

For many of us the next step was to try the 50 mile endurance ride.
Considering the close proximity of the OD100, we 'grew up' in the sport
with the mind set the 50 milers were training rides for the ONLY real
ride in the NE, the OD100. IT was the Elite Club of the very best.

There were not that many 50 milers in the NE, that is VA/MD/PA/NJ. There
was a 100 miler in NY in the early 80s, but the OD 100 was IT.

The OD 100 was the target for those who wanted to excel to test your
self and your horse, to earn that trophy Silver Buckle.

No matter how many ECTRA rides you did at any distance, no matter how
many 50 mile training rides you did, to many you were still a work in
progress. To prove yourself you just HAD to do the OD100.

It became my drive, for all the many reasons one can image.
To breed raise train condition an OD100 horse, to feed you ego, to
prove your metal.. to-whatever.

The ECTRA CTR rides were a competition   of there own as well as
the training ground for the OD100. Many used the 3 day 100 milers to
get ready for the OD.
My wife did the OD when it was based at Leesburg VA, I think it was
78? It was the last year they ran it there before the move to Front
Royal. To get ready she did the NJ 3 Day 100 the end of May, then the second
weekend in June both she and my daughter finished the  old original
OD100. They never rode another.

In 90 I had a little mare,(home grown) I thought   was ready for the   OD100. My
older mare had done the 50 there a few times and I rode a number of CTR
rides there. I knew the trails and  I thought we were ready.
We made it 80 miles with a tired horse to the bottom of Shermans Gap.
We worked the next year  (91) and thought we had it down. Made it LESS
miles to 65. Still doing something wrong.
Went too fast both times early on.

The next year Val Kanavy was living in Fort Valley. She asked me to visit
a few weekends and we rode all over the place as well as worked on new
trails. She invited me to spend a long weekend in May at the farm to
work my mare VK style. Now this was BEFORE she won all the gold.
I worked that little mare harder then ever. Some of those techniques
remain with me today.
I thought we were both going to die on one ride over Shermans Gap at a
trot when we could.

At the end of that intense session Val told me we were ready. I was to
take care of the mare and NOT mess her up over the next few weeks.
After we returned home and I was just holding her peak, she really
changed into a different horse, attitude was just fierce. She even
looked tough, hard as a rock.

At the ride Val told me how to ride that trail for the  xx time.

The little mare went tough all day I had to hold her back to not let
her self destroy. As it turned out I had LOTS of horse left. We
finished at about 4 am. Not a speed ride. But what a rush.. THAT was
why I did it, Cannot describe it.

I owed allot to her for teaching me how to ride in Ft Valley. Yes
Howie she was my mentor..

As a funny post note.. Dr MMS, in his normal way, on previous years
came up to offer condolences for my DNF and to let me know how well
he finished.. you have to know Matthew  to get this one..
however that year he had a problem, he came up to me and my mare in
the AM while I was walking her about and said "she looks great -guess
you did not make it again?".. 'well no Matthew, we finished.. and
you?' ...

So to find out if you are ready for a tough 100 miler, ask Valerie
Kanavy, then train with her, then ask Dr MMS... :)

I never rode another 100 miler.. but I AM a member of the club even if
I ONLY have one ticket...

-- 

I sure hope this does not DQ me from doing anymore LDs and doing TT
and getting BC?   NOT :)
Roger  R                        mailto:roger@xxxxxxxxxxx


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Prudence and focus will carry you a long way on a horse. 
~  Frank Solano

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