Re: [RC] How much conditioning for a 50?-Jessica - DVeritas
In a message dated 11/9/2005 3:30:17 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,
tref@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
A good
rule of thumb is to condition 50 miles/week if you are planning to ride in a
50. That said, 30 technical miles/week is usually better preparation
for a 50 than 50 flat miles/week. If you do 30-50 mountain
miles/week and he recovers to 45 in 5 mins after 10 strenuous miles, he's
probably ready for that 50 mile ride.
Dear Jessica,
I would ask, "How do you plan on
riding the 50 miles?"
If you honestly know how you're
going to approach your "First Fifty," it is my belief that you have a pretty
decent cardio-vascular base on your horse, and you should condition for the
fifty as you intend to task your horse.
In my opinion, there are two
common mistakes which people make BEFORE riding their first fifty:
1. Over-conditioning (the more common of the two)
2. Under-conditioning
In my opinion, the most
common mistake made DURING the first fifty, is not riding your horse as you
prepared your horse for the fifty.
I still maintain that
managing the distance should be your first concern, because if you ride
with that playing in your head, you'll get it done, and for many, "success" is
measured by completing the ride, FIRST, not being FIRST to Finish.
Afterwards, your horse
will tell you (at least) three things,
1. Did you prepare properly for the way in which you rode the
fifty?
2. Did you ride your horse in the way you prepared your
horse?
3.
Is the horse ready for either more speed, or more
difficult trail?
So, in my estimation, I only have only two thumbs, so I try to avoid "rules
of thumbs"....there are MANY ways in which to prepare to be successful at your
first fifty. Find the one which works better for your horse and for you
and YOU WILL DO FINE.
If for some reason, and there are myriad, you and your horse aren't
"successful" at your First Fifty, do not immediately consider it a
"Failure"....Learning more about you and your horse is never failure.
Without knowing you or your horse or your protocols, it is darn difficult for
anyone to tell you "if you ride X miles a week, you will be successful in
endurance".
Look to yourself and your horse for the answer.
Frank
Preparation for distance riding is incremental and about the control of
speed and the use of speed at the proper time. Find you and your horse's
best way of going and use that. You know what that
is.
