Re: [RC] de-elevate? Or "Dare to risk failure" - Barbara McCrary
We field twice as many 75 miler riders as
100 mile riders. There must be something to it! This is the distance
I would start with, if and when I get a horse that is suitable for the
distances. I just haven't seem to connect with the right horse for
the past five years, but if I do (hopefully soon), then I plan to get back to
50s, multi-days and then try a 75 (probably ours.) Then I'll see whether
my aging self can do a 100. I'd love to be able to do that again, just to
prove I can. :-))
The rationale behind the suggestion, the concept of
elevator/de-elevator rides, was to try to think of ways to revive 100
mile riders and 100 mile rides. (which have been in a steady decline for
several years)
Any other ideas?
Well, I still
think offering more 75 milers is a step in the right direction. Not at
the same ride as 100 milers, because as several folks have noted, people seem
to then select the easier (shorter) distance. But offer a
25/50/75. Give people a chance to make the intermediate step. Once
folks have had the chance to do a few 75s, then a 100 might not seem so out of
reach. Kinda like when I started...doing 25 miles was a big deal, and 50
seemed very daunting. After a number of LDs, 50 started to seem
possible, then doable. Now after a bunch of 50s, a 100 is starting to
seem possible. But a 75 *definitely* seems doable. However, even
if I don't get to do a 75 first, if my horse does well this season, I *WILL*
try a 100 this fall. You can hold me to that.
