Trailer Trash

1

If runners were horses... (Read 48 times)

FTYC


Faster Than Your Couch!

    Inspired by Sandy's daughters endurance/trail riding, I browsed through internet articles on that subject, and found some interesting similarities to trail/distance running.

     

    However, it seems to me that horses have to adhere to much stricter rules during the event than trail runners.

     

    Just imagine:

     

    - You'd have to stand still at the aid stations while selecting your food/accessories. No idle walking around.

    - You'd have to leave every aid station running, not walking. Walking would be considered bad sportsmanship.

    - If you were caught limping, nauseous (read: unable to eat at an aid station), or throwing up, you'd be pulled from the race.

    - Chafing or blisters would result in being pulled.

    - No dizzy stumbling through an aid station. If you were unable to run in good form, you'd be pulled.

    - Bad attitude (emotional outbreaks upon mishaps) would be penalized.

    - No falling over those logs, rocks, roots. If you were caught unable to jump over it properly, you'd be pulled.

     

    Shocked

     

    Would you be up to the task?

     

    Me: Not always, certainly not in an ultra.

    Run for fun.

    TrailProf


    Le professeur de trail

      uh...eh....hmm....(let me check again)....ummm...nope I failed all of them!  Next question...

      My favorite day of the week is RUNday

       

       


      Uh oh... now what?

        1- You'd have to stand still at the aid stations while selecting your food/accessories. No idle walking around.

        2- You'd have to leave every aid station running, not walking. Walking would be considered bad sportsmanship.

        3- If you were caught limping, nauseous (read: unable to eat at an aid station), or throwing up, you'd be pulled from the race.

        4- Chafing or blisters would result in being pulled.

        5- No dizzy stumbling through an aid station. If you were unable to run in good form, you'd be pulled.

        6- Bad attitude (emotional outbreaks upon mishaps) would be penalized.

        7- No falling over those logs, rocks, roots. If you were caught unable to jump over it properly, you'd be pulled.

         

        Good find, FTYC,  thank you.

         

        1. Fail, I socialize at aid stations way too much.

        2. Fail, like a horse with a feed bag over its ears, I often leave with a plastic bag (not necessarily small) full of munchies.

        3. So far I have managed to restrict throwing up to remote locations.

        4. Oddly enough, I am okay on this one.

        5. Uh... good form?  No, not even between the start and the first aid station.  The oft' heard, "Are you aware you are limping?"  Of course I am aware, took me years to develop this, uh, er... form?

        6. Would that include not going where the nice volunteer was pointing at two o'dark in the morning--was that bad?

        7. I do not need pulling, but I often need pushing, more so during the latter stages of self-destruction.

         

        In early spring on a trail somewhere north of Dallas I had paused to adjust things.  A horse with a woman in the saddle approached on the trail from the direction I had ran.  She asked if I was okay.  I replied yes, I was just wondering how far it was to the next water point.  I had two bottles and was on the second one.  She said about four miles, but I I wanted to go that way she could share her water.  She and her large friend (the horse) were training for a 50-mile endurance ride.  The trail was wide enough I could run alongside and we had a wonderful conversation about how runners train and how she and her horse trained.  We got to the next well.  I refilled my bottles.  She filled the horse.  I ran on with her for about five more miles and then turned around.  She had fifteen more miles before her turnaround point.  The conversation was great.  I was wishing I had eaten better that morning and had a snack or two with me so I could have done the thirtyish miles with her.  There were a lot of similarities in our two training programs, but in the end I decided she took better care of the horse than I did of myself.  She (they) had given me a run well worth remembering.

          I believe they have post-finish line evaluations also, which are needed to log the event as "completed" (no falling across the finish line with your last breath).

          "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog
          AT-runner


          Tim

            Wow, that would certainly up the DNF percentages.

             

            I don't do too bad with #4 (chaffing or blisters), but it bleeding nipples count, then I fail that one as well.

            “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

            FTYC


            Faster Than Your Couch!

              I believe they have post-finish line evaluations also, which are needed to log the event as "completed" (no falling across the finish line with your last breath).

               

              I forgot about this one! So no hope there, either. You might even get to fear the finish line...

              Run for fun.

                 

                I forgot about this one! So no hope there, either. You might even get to fear the finish line...

                 

                I think it's more like they build precautions into races involving animals (horses, sled dogs) that may not be able to talk to you but really want to please you so could race themselves to death. The professional mushers are really in tune with their dogs, but there's still vet checks along the way. Recreational mushers may not be quite as in tune with things.

                "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog
                Sandy-2


                  Marie,

                   

                  Awesome, and all very true and right on the mark.  Too funny!!! Two more things to add to the list:

                   

                  - At some of the aid stations (vet checks) they make you trot to see if you “look good”, if you don’t look good then you are pulled.

                  - At some of the aid stations they make you rest/wait (hold) for a specified time (30 to 60 minutes depending on the distance to the next hold).

                   

                  By the way, none of the stuff applies to the rider.  The rider could be duct taped to the saddle if need be, but they simply have to stay with the horse.

                   

                  There really are a lot of similarities to ultra running though.  I guess that is why my DD and I do well crewing for each other.  I have crewed for her for at a lot of races, including Tevis (Western States) I always say I can relate to the horse’s job.  She has crewed for me (Western States and Pinhoti), she is excellent crew.

                   

                  And yes, my DD has finished a race and since the horse didn’t pass the final vet check at the end, she was pulled at the finish and didn’t complete.

                   

                  John M, fun story about running with the horse/rider.  I've done a bit of that myself.  Always interesting to see the horse trying to figure out what the heck is going on.

                   

                  If you are interested, here is an article on her upcoming trip:

                   

                  http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/20351

                  2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL

                  AT-runner


                  Tim

                    Sandy, very nice article.  You must be very proud.  Like I said before - GO.

                    “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

                    FTYC


                    Faster Than Your Couch!

                      Sandy, that would be too funny to make runners run at an aid station and check to see if they looked good. I guess I'd need a lot of tissues and lip balm there to freshen up and pass the test.

                       

                      In reference to your last point, wasn't Kelly once held in a race when he was dehydrated? I vaguely remember something like that.

                       

                      I think it is very good to be gentle on the horses (and in sled races, to the dogs) and take care of them much better than humans take care of themselves in trail races, just because the animal would never "speak up" for itself, whereas a human can decide for himself how much self-destruction is appropriate.

                       

                      I imagine it takes a lot of training for the horses to get to the point where they can finish a 50- or 100-mile race in such good shape, and a good knowledge of the rider about his horse. That adds another level of complexity to what trail runners do in long distance races, very interesting stuff.

                       

                      I'll have to read the article as soon as the kids are tucked in.

                      Run for fun.

                      valerienv


                      Thread killer ..

                        sorry doubled that up

                        valerienv


                        Thread killer ..

                          It's not that hard to condition them . What can be hard is finding the horse with a good mind for it . I have a gelding who was perfect in every respect everything was going well getting him ready but he would not drink away from home , he was a bad camper . I tried all kinds of stuff but he would not take care of himself . Food he inhaled at home he wouldn't touch away from home . A good friend who has trained several 100 mile horses told me I had to try and see if he would learn to take care of himself , tough love . I couldn't do it .

                           

                          Funny about the riders too if they can get on their horse they go . At a 100 mile ride I volunteered at it took 3 of us to get one rider back on her horse at the 80 mile mark .

                          FTYC


                          Faster Than Your Couch!

                            Good article, nice read!

                             

                            Valerie, horses really have their own minds. How long would it take to "see" if the horse would eventually eat and drink away from home?

                            I just know from our cats, and one of my dogs, that if they don't like something, you can't force them. They would literally rather die than do what (for whatever reason) seems wrong to them (or feed on something that is not food, etc.).

                             

                            If I sat in a saddle for 100 miles, I think I could never walk again!

                            Run for fun.

                            valerienv


                            Thread killer ..

                              I tried for about a year to see if we could get over it . I took him to horse shows where he would have to stay overnight , sometimes a couple nights . I could get him to drink a little but he just didn't like water that smelled different . I had another show horse years ago with the same problem we could trick him with unsweetened Kool-aid , put in his water at home and away from home so it always smelled the same . That wasn't really practical for an endurance ride where they could be drinking from a communal water tank . It was a shame he was perfect for endurance in every other way , great size , great feet , smooth ground covering gaits .