I know it has been over a year since I have posted on the net or written
anything regarding endurance but I have been listening to the discussions.
My reasons for silence are numerous and personal, but I could not continue
to follow the current line of discussion without saying anything.
I must say that I have been disappointed and saddened at the tone and
demeanor this group has taken with regards to the exchange of information
and ideas. We all have a common interest, and we all have different
opinions. Furthermore, we all have different backgrounds and experience.
One would think we would find a way to share our knowledge, backgrounds
and experience without the personal sarcasm and attacks.
I pray for the recovery of Mr. Ivers. I truly doubt though that the
discussions on the net are related to his MI.
Regarding the need for research with endurance horses whether it be on
electrolytes or nutrition, to the non-research oriented person the
questions may appear simple, the the protocols to find answers may seem
easy, but it is much more involved than it seems. I have repeatedly said
in the past, nothing would make me happier than to conduct this research.
But the real life problems of time and money always stand in the way. I
have asked for funding and been denied. It is not a matter of a few
hundred dollars, it is a matter of thousands. And while conducting the
reasearch, if I did it gratis, who will pay my bills?
For example, to answer the question of which is the best diet to maintain
proper serum glucose levels in an endurance horse, the study is really
more complex than a quick stick and a glucometer reading. To begin with,
the horses must be initially maintained on the same diet so that body
stores of glycogen, fat, etc. are similar. Then they must be fasted to
achieve baseline glucose levels. After that it gets more involved as
feed, electrolytes, speed, weather, hydration, terrain etc. must be
equivalent. Adequate numbers of horses must be in each different
experimental group (carbohydrate loading, fat supplements, controls, etc.)
for statistical analysis (YES!! Statistics Count!!). In addition, extra
horses must take part in the study to account for dropouts due to
metabolic problems, lameness, pulled shoes, runaways, or whatever else can
occur in an endurance race. Finally, the study must be replicated in
order to be valid, and it must be replicated under different race
conditions. Unexplained flukes and phenomena do occur even in
science. If you can't repeat the results, they are worthless.
As one trained in medical research and who teaches every day of the year I
am as frustrated as all the rest of you at the lack of research in the
endurance field. I like to work on facts, not anecdotes. But it is food
for thought, money is what will promote this sport and money is what it
takes for this sport to evolve. Without it the types of discussions that
have been taking place will continue without ever realizing answers.
Academicians always take a hit for asking questions and looking for
zebras. Perhaps we do a lot of zebra hunting. But in searching for
zebras we found horses! All answers, research and progress eventually
comes from the academic fields, not from campfire stories. But the truth
is, it is the campfire stories that raise the questions that academicians
seek answers for. So there is a need in this sport to relay reports and
stories of what is happening out there on the trail so we can know what
questions to ask.
And as a closing remark, I do not think there is such a phenomena as
oversimplification of an issue. There is always somebody new that has not
had the experience to understand the current discussion. If even one
person learns from a post, no matter how simple, then that post was
valuable. I teach medical students with cartoons, bubbles and play-doh.
It sure is fun, and I know they understand!
Lynn
L. M. Crespo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Pharmacology
Nova-Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL
lynn@hpd.acast.nova.edu