minimum/maximum mileage

[Todd & Toni Jones <tjones@coinet.com>]

n a message dated 4/1/00 6:07:00 PM Pacific
Standard Time,
tvanhove@uswest.net writes:

<<  think it takes a minimum of 40 miles a week
and
 regular rides (ie weekly) of 20-25 miles to
prepare
 for a 50.  -No flames Tom, I'm talking minumum,
not
 optimal. I also believe that the 20-25 mile rides
are
 very important - riding 10 miles 5 times a week
is not
 preparing for a 50 mile ride.

 Teresa >>

The above interests me as I've read several
endurance books and everyone who has a book out
seems to have a formula for getting and keeping
their horses in shape to do 50's or 100's. How
many 50's before moving up to 100's? If preparing
for 100's or doing them, did you do a year of
interim distances like 75's or 80's before moving
up or did you do it in a season. Is it better to
pick up speed BEFORE tackling the 75's and 100's
or wait until you start them...

For this subject I'm all ears and would appreciate
input from those that regularly COMPLETE 50's or
100's and multi-days whether you win, top ten or
just complete.

I'm acquaintances with a former national champion,
I believe from the late 70's or early 80's. True,
things have changed and what made a national
champion then wouldn't now as the competition is
tougher, training regimens and supplements are all
updated. But his formula for getting into shape
seemed a great place to start to me and it made
sense. Also was the factor that I know him
personally and so it meant more than just reading
it in someone's book.

Here's his basic formula and rules of thumb.
Ride at the speed you will compete.
Try to ride the end of the trail in advance so
then when you are there on race day you're horse
will know you are at the end and want to "go
home".
Ride 64% of the distance you are going to compete
in each week. So if you are doing 50's, he says
you should ride something like 33 to 35 miles a
week. Doesn't matter if it's split into 2 or 3
rides at various distances to complete overall
mileage for week. Try to vary terrain.
Try to have at least one day between each of these
rides for horse to have recuperation time.

This is HIS advice, not mine. When he has made an
appearance again over the years, he usually wins.
He sees no other reason to be out there on the
trail. He's a vet, too, by the way.

His strategy seems tame compared to the original
above post. So how about it, his strategy  is what
I'm currently striving for as we are doing the
long, slow distance stuff again this year. (Doing
slow 50's on a 6 year old). What do you all say
for the next step? Should I stay with this formula
for now and into the years to come (what's good
for the goose...) or what works for some of you
other ridecampers?

Toni and O'Biwon
Central Oregon