Stagg Newman, who co-chairs with me the Education Committee, has been stuck for the past year with all the articles for Endurance News. The chemo that I am still taking leaves me with such a shaky hand that no one can read my handwriting, and as for typing--well, I had to turn off that little bell which rings when you misspell a word--it sounded as if I'm trying to play some sort of symphony!

But for this month Stagg is off traveling to far-flung regions with his job, and since he gave me an idea for the subject, I decided that it was time for me to put my nose back to the grindstone. Some months back we received a letter from a rider who had never yet done a 100 and was looking for advice on how to ready her horse and herself for such an event.

Just thinking about this brought back some long-ago memories from my own days--1975--when I decided that I would do the first 100 in a day here on the East Coast. The Old Dominion had only started the year before, and except for a very few riders who had done mostly competitive three-day 100s, the ride consisted of a bunch of novices.

So how did we get ready? There was no Ridecamp, no Endurance News; AERC had just organized a year or two before. Very few people with the exception of the Mackay-Smiths and Pete Fields had done 100 miles in one day, and they had to drive all the way to California and the Tevis to do this. Gatorade and other electrolytes weren't yet on the market, and nobody had endurance saddles or special riding pants, shoes, or stirrups. Looking back on it brings a smile to my face as I remember legs bloodied from the heavy seams in blue jeans--those truly were the days from hell!

Not to say that riding a 100 today is a piece of cake. It's still a real test of both horse and rider. But there is so much we have learned that can make it easier for both of you.

Get your body ready

I'm assuming that once you've committed yourself to doing a 100, you are in fairly good physical shape. I don't mean that you've got to be a marathon runner or weightlifter (I rarely did anything but ride) but I do know that some cross training helps, even if it's only twice per week. Your diet is also important. Lay off the heavy sweets (never, never eat doughnuts the morning before the ride). As you are nearing ride time, carbos are the way to go.

Get your horse ready

Aside from whatever cross training you opt to do, most of your getting ready will be done with your horse. Years ago, we rode six out of seven days per week. Now I think that four days per week are enough. An hour and a half for a few of the days and then a longer ride, say 25 miles or so, on the weekends. It is during these training rides that you will learn about pacing. Though AERC rides allow a bit slower pace, I plan on doing a ride of 100 miles in length in about 17 hours. If you practice with your horse to go an average about this speed, it will become such routine, such habit for him, that he will trudge right along without becoming overly stressed during the actual event.

Strategy: slow

But what I have seen at rides is this: Some rookie rider comes flying past me during the first few miles of the ride. When I question why he/she is riding so fast he tells me that he "just wants to see what the horse can do"! I moan inwardly because I already know the answer to that question. What he can do is get pulled at the first vet check!

Any wonder that the first check has more pulls than any other throughout the ride? Some novice gets caught up with the "hot shoes" and want to win all those trophies they give away by being first into the first vet check! You do know that I am being a bit sarcastic here, but I am truthful in telling you that I have heard this all too many times. So, regardless of how you'd like to keep up with Valerie Kanavy, Cia Reis, or Stagg Newman, fall into that rhythm you've learned at home and hang back with the slowpokes who finish toward the end, but always finish!

Mental preparation

When it comes to preparing mentally for a ride we don't mean that you picture yourself galloping madly across the finish line, overtaking the likes of some already mentioned or others trying to put themselves in their shoes. The prime thing for you is to keep your calm and ride the pace you have been practicing.

Another thing you need to be aware of so that it gets to be he a habit is drinking. Years ago we never carried water with us on training rides, nor did we drink nearly enough on the actual ride. We not only were thirsty when we came to the stops, we were deliriously so. Now we know that once thirsty we can never recover for hours, so nearly everyone carries some sort of water packs or bottles.

Since I find it very difficult to drink out of a bottle while at a fast trot or a canter (I'm afraid of knocking my teeth out) I much prefer the over-the-shoulder type camelbacks. With the drinking tube pinned with a safety pin to my shoulder, all I have to do is to turn my head sideways and suck! It works really well but you should practice this on training rides as well just so you get in the habit of doing this every 15 minutes or so.

When fatigue sets in, it's far easier to rely on old habits than it is to try to stir up memory. (I can remember being so tired at the end of a 100 that when I went to a telephone to call home to tell the folks how I had done, I couldn't even remember my own phone number!)

Another tip that really helps--try to get to the ride early enough, several days in advance if possible, to ride the first five miles and the last five miles of the trail. If it's impossible to do both, I'd choose the last five miles since we all know that Òback to the barnÓ syndrome. With the terrific memory all horses have, he'll remember every step of the way if he's done it before, and you'll feel the energy perk when he knows he's headed for home.

There are hundreds more things that come up that I could give as advice, but above are a few starters. If you don't already have one, ask the office for a revised endurance rider's handbook that has everything you needÑexcept the horse! Happy trails! Wish I could be there to ride with you.