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Re: [RC] Monster?? - Elyse CarrenoI personally don't think you need to race in order to make a 6 hour time limit on a 25. If you have to average 5 mph, then you can travel at a non-stressful 8 mph trot, which leaves plenty to time for water breaks, grazing breaks, and walking over bad footing. I think the time limit helps to guide your pace and not be on course for excessive periods of time. If you are taking 8 or 9 hours to do a 25 (barring getting lost, overly difficult trail etc), honestly, what are you doing out there? I usually ride at the middle or towards the back of the pack (including a couple of turtles)?and only once have I ever felt pushed for time secondary to overly difficult trail (the 25 only had?2 completions out of 42 starting and the 50 had 31 completions out of 72 starters and the winning time was 7 plus hours)
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Sometimes when I get wimpy and tired at the end of a ride, I'd very much like to?walk the rest of the way?and use up my last couple of hours but I always push through because I'm sure my horse (as a grazing animal) would rather be back at the trailer eating rather than taking 4 hours (with minimal food)?to do the last 10 miles. With a recent ulcer battle behind me and new found knowledge about ulcers and?the competition?horse and the importance of?limiting the stretch of time?between food intake, I have a?renewed belief?in the philosophy "Never hurry, never tarry"?with both parts?being equally?significant.
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If the desire to do the LD stems from just wanting to enjoy organized trail that you would not otherwise have access to, then come to the ride, pay the entry fee in return for all the RM's and volunteer's hard work, and ride at your own pace and who cares if you are over time as long as you had a great ride. If your desire is?get completions?and have your milage tracked and counted then you have to do so within the rules of the AERC which by nature?is a competetive organization. If those rules don't work for you, then maybe another organization would suit better.
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Some people are always going to race and some people are always going to go slow. But I certainly don't think a 6 hour time limit forces you to race. If a horse is not fit enough to?safely get through a 25 in under 6 hours, then I personally?believe they aren't quite ready to be doing 25 miles (in an organized/competitive ride sense. Pleasure riding aside).?I think?a fairly generous?time limit?has the well being of the horse in mind,?in addition to?being a pacing and training tool.
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? On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 7:37 PM, Joe Long <jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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