Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Seems to me the best ideas are those that are simplest:  either give credit for miles completed on a horse judged "fit to continue", or don't give credit unless a certain mileage goal, published ahead of time, is met as well.  It's not really a moral question, it's a practical one.  I don't really care one way or the other as I personally am driven by the desire to complete difficult, challenging things rather than by the idea of winning races or earning points.  Having said that, many people ARE driven by points, mileage goals, trophies, belt buckles, etc.  There's nothing wrong with having different motivators.  If the endurance community wants to see more people trying 100 mile races, they probably have to consider how to attract people. Again, I agree that the sport should be hard and uncompromising.  But saying that, I also think it would be nice if people kept doing it!  No one's going to say that someone who's completed 70 miles actually completed 100.   Again, I personally don't care because I am still an outsider here--but as someone who isn't likely to remain outside for long, I already feel strongly about encouraging others to join in the fun.  

Anecdote: My neighbor got interested in distance riding after hanging with me last summer--and she's already got herself a Tucker saddle, Old Mac boots, and a biothane bridle.  Yesterday she called up all excited about having found a beautiful Arab gelding (who fits the saddle) for sale nearby.  This is someone without a lot of money, but who's so excited about discovering Ridecamp that she's putting most of her resources into getting ready for something she's not even tried yet.  She is someone who I absolutely am certain  would be unlikely to try a 100 miler without some sort of insurance that it will be "worth" it should she fail (as 50% or starters do).  She's not a whiner, but she knows she'll be discouraged, sad, pissed, martyred by her family if she fails to achieve something she's put so much $$ into.  There isn't as much risk involved in the shorter distances.  Perhaps that unwillingness means that she shouldn't ever ride a 100 mile ride.  Or perhaps we could create a system that encourages her to give it a try.  I guess I'm on the side that doesn't think there's much value in risk in and of itself.  She's one of the toughest people I know by the way--just the sort of person I think most of you would admire and respect.  

Regarding some of the other notes sounded in this thread:  Shame on the Calculus professor for giving an A overall instead of factoring in an A for effort as part of the overall grade.  Shame on anyone who thinks partial credit somehow translates into full credit.  Believe me, no student of mine ever earned passing marks for a 50% job, (nor did many of them fall into that category because only a crummy teacher lets a student get away with doing that crummy a job...).  On the other hand, lots of them got C's for doing their best and mastering adequately the basic skills and ideas covered in my courses.  I don't see how failing these students (ie, no mileage points) would have motivated them or accurately reflected their achievement.

Mary K (who promises to shut up her inexperienced mouth now....)