As AERC seeks to promote 100-mile rides and riders, are there ways for both ride managers and competitors to make the 100-mile challenge the best possible event for both seasoned endurance riders and those attempting the ultimate challenge for the first time? First, let's look at the "wish" list of the perfect 100-mile ride:

Ride manager wishes

1. All riders would be finished by midnight.

2. Numerous cheerful volunteers would beg to stay up into the wee hours of the night.

3. No one would get lost or find trail vandalism.

4. All riders would arrive in top athletic condition and never get dizzy or sick or lost on a late-night trail.

5. All riders would be vetted before the ride briefing.

6. There would be at least one vet or volunteer with endless nighttime energy and a non-ending stream of jokes to make the after-midnight hours convivial.

Rider wishes

1. Ride managers and volunteers would be encouraging and supportive even in the wee hours.

2. There would be glowsticks every 20 feet.

3. RMs would offer snacks and water/drinks halfway through every loop.

4. The ride would never experience storms or bad weather.

5. The footing is perfect -- no rocks, no deep sand, no mud.

6. Every rider would finish "fit to continue."

But we all know that the perfect world does not exist. We have chosen a demanding sport with many variables, only some of which we can truly control -- but those few are vital to a successful 100-mile ride. Ride managers get tired. Riders get tired. Volunteers get tired. Storms happen. Horses or riders just have bad days. Trails get vandalized. Still, working together and planning ahead to create the best possible event for all should be our goal.

Let's look at some practical ways that we can make progress toward the "perfect world," knowing that some things we cannot change no matter what we do, but that there are other things we can do to improve the ride experience.

What the RM can do to help

1. Start with the idea that you are going to stay up all night and at the same time remain supportive of "to finish is to win." Offer congratulations as riders progress. Treat every rider the same. Remember that new riders deserve the same encouragement as your friends.

2. Have a smile on your face no matter what. Remember two things: It takes only 13 muscles to smile, 54 to frown, so why not take the easy way out? And the experts say 90% of what we communicate is from body language, not speech. Clap, cheer, give riders the "V" sign (maybe tape on some popsicle sticks to keep your fingers straight at 3:00 a.m.?).

3. Keep a happy, upbeat spirit. Let your attitude be contagious. After all, you signed on to do this and it's only one night a year! Find time for a "nap" break earlier in the afternoon when there is a "slow" moment. Keep yourself adequately fed and hydrated. Find a friend to be sure that you do!

4. Keep your volunteers sheltered, well-fed and watered (or "caffeined" as necessary). It usually takes four meals with additional snacks for the endurance troops to function all day and night. Plan rest breaks for your volunteers and comfortable chairs to "take the load off." If possible, have a separate late-night shift. Advertise for night owls? Contact a nearby vet school for students to help?

5. Keep a well-marked, reasonably lighted trail as top priority. Moonlight is great, but in some regions that can be very "iffy." Although it is not an AERC rule, most of today's RMs seem to agree that riders expect a reasonable number of glowsticks. How many and where will be determined by your trail. Woods need more; sandy roads with no turns need less. But make it clear in your ride brochure and/or at ride briefing what the riders should expect after dark. Hazards, if any, should always be well-marked. If the RM has a volunteer on horseback, checking the lights behind those hanging the glowsticks is another help to riders. The volunteer may see places on the trail that need extra glow sticks to avoid having a rider plunge off-trail down a mountainside toward a distant glowstick. Have extra ribbon and glowsticks on hand for emergencies. Use some form of white ribbon or other marking for after-dark trails; fuschia pink may be great in daylight, but it disappears at night.

6. In your pre-planning, think of new ways to do things. Can your trail be better arranged to put the easier sections at the end? Can you make the first and last or the last two loops a repeat? Is there a way to rearrange the vet checks to hasten horses and riders to the rest and recovery part? Consider cut-off times at vet gates as a better way to make the ride run smoothly than hoping riders will "pull" themselves to avoid a down-to-the-wire finish or being overtime. As an RM, you know the last loops of the trail best of all and what is realistic in terms of finishing them before the 24-hour limit. Riders appreciate knowing what is expected.

7. If your trail permits, consider having at least one crewing spot on the last loops. This helps both horse and rider. Or at least be sure there is available water in creeks or tanks.

8. Consider offering a "mentor" program for first-time 100 milers. Many rides, like the NASTR ride in Nevada, have a tradition of finding willing, experienced riders to assist new riders in the longer distance. They want all the new ones to finish, an admirable goal. Once riders have successfully finished a 100, they are more likely to return to another one! Two questions added to the entry form might elicit what the program needs: Would you be willing to assist a first-time rider? If you are a first-time rider, would you like a mentor?

What the rider can do to help

1. Consider volunteering at a 100-mile ride, in the wee hours, so you will know both sides of the event. Maybe you and a buddy could be the ones at the halfway mark on the last loop checking on slower riders!

2. Be as prepared as you can be for the challenge. Have you trained with your horse in the dark? You will build confidence in yourself when you learn how well your horse can see at night. Do you know what the best "lighting" for your horse might be? Do you know how other riders' flashlights and glowsticks may affect you on the trail? Or how your "lighting" may affect others? Have you worked on your own athletic strength?

3. Do you have emergency supplies with you? Have you studied the map or other handouts? Did you go to the ride briefing? Have you learned as much as possible about a trail you have never ridden before, especially the end of it? Those who have previously ridden the trail are always willing to share information and advice.

4. Plan your food and drink to keep up your energy level on the trail. Know ahead of time what works for you late at night.

5. You can never say enough "thank yous" to vets, volunteers and RMs.

6. Follow the advice of all those articles on truck/trailer maintenance so you have every chance of arriving on your time schedule. You and your horse will be very happy not to spend three or more hours broken down beside the road!

7. Keep a positive attitude from the very beginning. (See number two above.) You can do this!

By establishing our expectations as ride managers and as riders, we can all work together for progress toward the "perfect world" and a successful event for all!