Re: RC: Re: Whatever

[Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>]

> On Mon, 10 Apr 2000 20:52:21 EDT,
> Shyodu@aol.com wrote:
>
> >    Thank you in advance for your kind assistance - I
> really do welcome the 
> >help  :)  Does everyone remember their first ride?

A 28?? mile race somewhere in Napa?? maybe Sonoma CA - I think it was a
place called Wild Horse Ranch?  Would have been 1977 or
thereabouts.  In the spring, because it was already hot, but our
horses still had winter coats on.  Boy, am I having a bout of
CRS!   Paul & I *thought* we had well conditioned horses -
hah!  It was the first time we'd ridden in actual *race* conditions
and we found out the hard way what a difference that is from mere
conditioning!  

For one thing, we found out that our estimated training miles were NOT
the equivalent of actual measured miles.  For another we found out
that pacing, pacing, pacing is so very important!  And we also found
out what it feels like to make the decision to come in after the cutoff
time rather than push tired, hot horses for that completion
award.   We learned - after the fact - about clipping our
horses, about not carrying unnecessary gear (and what is actually
necessary), and about conditioning at and beyond the conditions you find
at real races.  Hah!  We also learned why they call it
"endurance"!

We have some B&W photos of us that were taken during the race. 
One set from the first half - lookin' good! - the other from the latter
parts - looking *real* tired.  What a memory!  I'm amazed we
ever did another endurance ride, but we did.  Our first 50 miler was
Mt. Madonna, a 50 miler that was put on near Gilroy CA, probably the same
year or maybe 1978.  We had learned some by then, and we did finish,
but I had blisters on my hands.  We still had so very much more to
learn!.  

By the way, that 28 mile race was the only LD (they weren't called that
then, of course) we've ever done.  Lif

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