Re: Can't condition for a 50?

[Deanne Del Vecchio <delvecchio@geocities.com>]

> I've read lots of LD riders say they can't condition for a 50. I just entered
> 50's anyway and used the LSD of the 50 miles to condition my horses.  It's you,
> your horse and the challenge of the trail, use it to reach your own goals, don't
> say I can't!

I loved this statement! I've been wondering about the LD debate for awhile, now.
Gabe and I jumped into this endurance thing with all four feet, and haven't looked
back.

I first heard endurance was 100 miles in one day........and I KNEW I could never
do that! Then a friend said they do 50's, too. Okay......50
miles........ummmm...exactly how far is that?  Still didn't seem likely for us.

Then I heard that a 25 mile ride was being put on on. I thought......okay, I can
figure out all this stuff about endurance in this 25 mile ride.  So, we went to
the ride. Nervous as all get-out.....and completed.  Crossed the finish
line......looked around for our friends we started with......had lunch.....had a
beer......still no friends.

Walked Gabe out to loosen him up........after he had just done 25 MILES!  Then the
50's came in for the lunch stop and Gabe went bannanas trying to follow. Couldn't
keep him from going in circles around me on the lead.

Welp.......that's all I needed to convince me that the next ride was gonna be a
50.  (two beers later....friends come in)

It really doesn't take any more preparation for a 50. You need to pack the same
stuff......take the same amount of time off.....drive the same distance.......you
just get to ride for a little longer!  It's great!  Go for it!

--
Deanne Del Vecchio & Gabe~~Whaddya mean.........I could have stopped at 25?
Creative Computer Concepts
South Lake Tahoe, CA
delvecchio@geocities.com