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RE: [RC] Some Thoughts on Pacing (Part 1) another perspective - Libby & Quentin Llop DVMI have a lot in common with Jim. I too aspire to do 100s. My horse, also in her 2nd. season, started and completed 14 rides in 2004 (9 TT, 1 1st, 2 2nds and a BC). But I have a different approach to pacing: I believe, there is an optimum pace for my horse on a given day on a given trail that will advance my horses conditioning. This has very little to do with a prepicked ideal time. It is the balancing act of horsemanship that makes this sport so endlessly fascinating. At the 2nd day of FT Valley this year every rider starting Sunday knew, they would really have to make time on the first leg, if they wanted to finish, and that 2 horses had tied up the day before trying to do that. I think, it was a good thing that my horse had already "practiced" keeping an 11mph pace for 50 miles without cooking herself, and she had also "practiced" having ten hour ride times. Libby & Fly So Free -----Original Message----- From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Jim Holland Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 8:28 PM To: rides2far@xxxxxxxx Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: [RC] Some Thoughts on Pacing (Part 1) -----Original Message----- From: rides2far@xxxxxxxx [mailto:rides2far@xxxxxxxx] Subject: Re: [RC] Some Thoughts on Pacing (Part 1) I wanted to do a wide variety of terrain?flat, mountainous, sandy, etc. My goal was a 6 ½ mph average. Jim, I really disagree with dividing your time up evenly and wanting to keep an even pace. Might work for some but not at all for me. At least on a ride where the trail isn't a smooth open dirt road you are going to go much slower after dark. Also, if it gets warm things are going to slow down in the afternoon. To me, that's not so bad. Different speeds use different muscle groups. That piddling along in the hot afternoon seems to rest my horse up a bit for the big push to cover ground before dark. Once dark hits it ain't gettin' no darker so now it's time to relax and enjoy the fact that you've only got 20 miles to go...not 50! Angie, I look for an "average"...obviously, you can't hold the same constant pace on technical rides. I was just shooting for 8 hour fifties as a "guideline" for over all pacing. I also spend quite a bit of time on the ground at rides like OD and Leatherwood. Goethe was unusual this year...the daylight hours were pleasant...should have made my time there, not during the cold at night. NORMALLY in the SE, the reverse is true...HOT and HUMID during the day....night is better...but dang, not at THIS ride. My poor pacing and the sand done us in. You have a lot more 100 experience than I do, so I value your opinion and appreciate the comments. My mentor advised me to listen to all the advice, look at what everybody else does, toss out some of it, modify the rest to fit my needs, and do what works for me! <grin> Hopefully, I will figure it out. 14 starts, 14 completions, 2 Top Tens, and finishing a 75 ain't bad for Magic's first full year of competition. I must be doing something right! :) As for sand, Magic will have to learn to deal with it. If that means I do more sandy rides and go train in Florida, I'll do that. I would love to try the 100 at Biltmore...but its FEI sanctioned...'nuff said. I'm still beating myself up over that rump rug. <sigh> Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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