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[RC] More fun stats on LD speeds - heidiOK, I finally had some time to sit around home on the computer this morning. So just for the heck of it, I looked up the 38 rides in the NW that offer both an LD and a ride in the 50-60 mile range. I calculated the speed in mph for the fastest times on each event, and also for the slowest times. The results are interesting. I would add that the NW is a region that has been awarding LD BC for many years (using the AERC system), and that our regional organization also offers many incentives to LD riders. Here's what I found out. At 30 of the 38 rides, the 50-60 mile winners traveled at a higher rate of speed than did the LD winners. At only 8 of the rides did the LD winners travel faster than the 50-60 mile winners. On the 8 rides where the LD winner traveled faster, the speed differences ranged from a mere 0.02 mph faster up to the highest differential of 0.97 mph faster. In contrast, on the 30 rides where the 50-60 mile winner traveled faster than the LD winner, the speed differential ranged from 0.23 mph faster to a whopping 4.7 mph faster for the winners of the longer distances. Of the 30 rides where the endurance winner traveled faster than the LD winner, half of them (15) had a difference of less than 1 mph. (Of those, 8 were less than 0.5 mph faster, and 7 were between 0.5 and 1.0 mph faster.) In the other half, there were 3 where the difference was 1-2 mph faster, 6 where the 50s traveled 2-3 mph faster, 4 where they traveled 3-4 mph faster, and 2 where they traveled 4+ mph faster than the LD winners. On average for the entire 38 rides, the 50-60 mile winners traveled at 9.97 mph (range 6.67 mph to 13.51 mph). On average, the LD winners of the same 38 rides traveled 8.84 mph (range 6.13 mph to 12.16 mph), or an average of 1.13 mph slower than the 50-60 mile winners. Additionally, on well over half of the rides (24 of 38), the slowest 50-60 mile finisher traveled faster than the slowest LD finisher. In my region, at least, I don't see anything in the above that would support the notion that awarding placings, printing times, or awarding AERC BC awards to the Top Ten on LD rides causes the riders to ride at tremendous speeds. Contrast this to a ride that stands out in my memory from the mid-70s, before AERC made 50 miles the cut-off point for endurance. I worked a ride where the winner of the 25 did the course in 1:09--that figures out to 21.74 mph. And no, the horse was never able to run again--we put him in the trailer with bilateral bowed tendons, barely able to bear weight on his front legs. I doubt that he lived long. What made rides of less than 50 miles deadly was 1) calling them endurance rides and thus allowing them to be run for overall points; 2) not having a fit-to-continue safeguard; 3) not having the pulse-down before the time ended, and 4) having fewer vet checks on average, so the vets could not pull or caution riders who were putting their horses in jeopardy. By putting LD in its own division with some additional rules, the above scenarios have by and large been relegated to the "not-so-good" old days. It also allows LD riders to compete for regional and national mileage awards without the pressure of points-chasing, and with only other LD riders in competition with them. The BC award, even when given to the Top Ten, requires that the rider ride smart and take good care of his/her horse. So despite its time element, it simply does not promote irresponsible racing. One only need ride fast enough to be in range. And the above figures certainly don't support the notion that LD riders are out there running their brains out, despite the fact that our region has always given LD AERC BCs. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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