Calculating Time with Distance/Speed averages

Distance	Speed	Time
10	6.5	1:32
	6.6	1:30
	6.7	1:29
	6.8	1:28
	6.9	1:27
	7	1:25
15	6.5	2:18
	6.6	2:16
	6.7	2:14
	6.8	2:12
	6.9	2:10
	7	2:08
5	6.5	0:46
	6.6	0:45
	6.7	0:44
	6.8	0:44
	6.9	0:43
	7	0:42
1	2.5	0:24
	3.5	0:17
	4.5	0:13
	5	0:11
	6.5	0:09
	7.5	0:08
	8.5	0:07
	9	0:06:40
	10	0:06:05
	11	0:05:27
	12	5:00

Please note that the chart above is time estimated.  The actual times involved seconds as well and I just rounded things for simplicity.  So how can this be useful?   Well, let's say you want to better your time on an LD ride and you have a set conditioning loop of 10 miles.    It currently takes you 1 hour 30 minutes to complete the ten mile loop.  By upping your speed to 7 mph average you can take off 5 minutes.  Sounds so easy....doesn't it? 

Our ride at Summer Breeze took us 26 minutes longer than I had anticipated.   We averaged 5.6 mph which was a barely...getting it done pace.  We were running a good part of the time at 7-11 mph. The walking portions just killed us. In order to have met my ride goal of 4:00 hours I'd have had to have ridden 6.5-6.6 mph average speed  (vs. the 5.5) in order to factor in the walking portion, and later the pulse gate.   So can 1 mph on your average speed really matter so much?  In terms of placement (if that is your thing) yes it can.  Journey has on her record 1 overtime (I got lost) LD, 2 LD finishes, and 2 Endurance finishes in her ride coffer. 

Top of the Rock she averaged 6.09 mph over the 25 miles.  Cool Temps
Summer Breeze  she averaged 5.6 mph over the 25 miles.    Hot temps/ low humidity

Spook Run she averaged 5.5 mph over 50 miles.  Cool Temps.
Indy 50 she averaged 5.7 mph over 50 miles.  Again cool temperature ride.

The rides she has averaged a better speed on we placed ourselves within sight of a rider that paces slow moderate.  She seems to find that inspiring as far as picking up the pace a little bit. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not interested in putting my horse into endurance racing, rather endurance pacing.  Journey is sandbagging a little bit.  I'm sure of it.   So the new goals are:

Rider will drop 5 pounds by Spook Run.
I weighed in at work yesterday and the physician's scale read 154.   So the goal by Spook Run is to be down to at least 149.   I know 5 pounds doesn't sound like much...but my metabolism screams FEED ME all the time.  Then when I do,  I store it right on my belly.  The menu is going to be very low on processed carbohydrates, as close to zero on refined sugar as I can get...and if I ever make it to the grocery store I NEED SOME PROTEIN to stabilize my crashing blood sugar.

Horse will increase  overall average pace by at least 1 mph by Spook Run.

Spook Run is the last of October/first of November.  So that gives me a little over three months to get our pace from 5.5 mph to a steady 6.5-7 mph.   I figure we are going to need to train at close to 8-9 mph to remotely pull this off.  That is going to take some time...and I have to figure out how I'm going to do it on twisty rutty forest track...I may have to take to the roads.

Final Goal back to back LD's at Spook Run with a finish of 4:00 hours. 

Why no 50?   My ride goal on 50's at least for the present is one 50 each year.  Until Journey is stronger at what she is doing that is the plan.   If she can start finishing LD's with plenty of juice in the tank, then I may rethink that.  My conditioning rides adequately prepare her to get through a 50 slow, but not feeling good and sassy and ready to roll out again next day.  So until I see that improvement happening after a 50 and only then, will we make that the distance of choice.  The road to that is faster average conditioning rides.  The LD's will become those.  First though,  I have to break her cycle of wanting to give a 4.5 mph performance on conditioning rides.

I hope someone finds the chart somewhat helpful in breaking down their own ride, and ride goals.  Here is the Time, Speed, Distance calculator I was using here.

Have a great day!  ~E.G.