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[RC] 100s -- don't sell yourself short! - ristreeWith regard to the discussions about 100s, and getting more fit and having more conditioning time, etc.
Don't sell yourself short. If you're consistently finishing 50s with a horse in the middle of the pack with all As who is doing a great job with EDPP and you're not on death's doorstep at the finish, you don't have a whole lot to change. You don't have to condition harder, or longer, or faster. You don't have to be capable of running a marathon yourself, although if you ask Bill Rice, I imagine he'll tell you that's helpful.
You have to start simply deciding to do one, if that is what you want to do.
It was Dr. Jim Baldwin, bless him, who told me that the hardest part of riding 100 was signing up. He was right.
Riding through the night on a horse with his ears pricked cheerfully was one of the best times of my life. I kept having to remind myself to live in that moment, to know that it was one of most magical times we'd ever share. I look upon Ned with a totally different level of respect and humility knowing that we accomplished such an amazing thing together.
I'm already planning this season around this year's 100s. I'm attempting to beat our personal best (and only) time of 19+ hours.
If this chunky former dressage queen can do it, my bet is that you can too. :-)
--Patti Stedman (NY)
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