Wednesday, October 26, 2016

2ptober Week 3: It's getting REAL

Important update for contestants: 

We are in the midst of Week 4 of the 2016 Two Point Challenge. That leaves just one more weekend to record your times (due before midnight pacific time on Sunday). But lo! October doesn't end until that following Monday.

And so. We are counting that as a Bonus Day. Meaning that if you haven't been able to meet your goal for either 2pt duration or improvement over the course of the past month, you've got one extra day to give it your best shot!

We therefore ask that your Bonus Day times are recorded in the comments no later than midnight, pacific on Monday, October 31. This is a firm deadline, as Megan and I do not want to recalculate final results once they are published.


And as a way to help you keep your eye on the proverbial prize, here's a quick reminder of our wonderful actual prizes, thanks to these awesome sponsors!



First Place Winners for each category:

- $20 gift certificate to your choice of online tack shop (Riding Warehouse, Smartpak, Dover, etc)
- 16oz bottle of coat refresher from Annie's Equine Elixirs
- Choice of coloring page from Nerd Horse
- Bridle charm from Straight Shot Metal Smashing


Runners Up for each category:

- $10 gift certificate to your choice of online tack shop (Riding Warehouse, Smartpak, Dover, etc)
- Choice of coloring page from Nerd Horse
- Bridle charm from Straight Shot Metal Smashing

***

Ok. Onto the good stuff: Let's take a look at how the competition is shaping up going into the final stretch.

As usual, these times are scraped from the comments on either my or Megan's blogs. If we missed something please let us know! And also please note that recording a time on your own blog isn't sufficient for collection purposes.

If you have a Week 3 time not reflected here, please say so in the comments and I will update the table and charts ASAP!

Rider Blog Baseline Week 3
Alli PONY'TUDE 7:21 15:04
Amanda Bel Joeur 0:47 3:05
Appydoesdressage Musings from LogDog Acres 5:06 7:09
Aryelle Horse Hack 1:47 2:03
Carey Me Jump Pretty One Day *3:23 *3:23
Emma Walk, Trot, Canter, Banter 1:54 4:08
Grace The Horseback Artist 2:20 5:25
Heather The Graduated Equestrian 5:15 5:15
KateRose Peace & Carrots 2:06 5:50
Kristen Stampy and the Brain 3:27 6:08
L. Williams Viva Carlos 2:53 15:42
Lindsey Redheadlins 10:08 10:08
Liz Stout In Omnia Paratus 1:17 13:27
LoveLaughRide Grain Before Groceries 4:40 6:02
Megan Howling Owl Farm 0:05 0:29
Monica How to Train your Dragon 4:27 5:04
Nicole Zen & the Art of Baby Horse Management 3:40 8:00
Olivia DIY Horse Ownership 0:44 0:44
outofashes One Bud Wiser 1:26 5:01
Sarah Three Chestnuts 0:33 25:17
SarahO Autonomous Dressage 2:25 4:02
Semi Feral Equestrian Semiferal Equestrian 2:36 5:06
Teresa Eventing Saddlebred Style 1:47 2:30


The charts continue to show serious improvement across the board. The average baseline for all 23 contestants was 3 min 03 seconds. For week 3? You all DOUBLED the average, which now stands at a full 6:49. That alone deserves a huge collective pat on the back - congrats!

The longest time contest continues to be dominated by Sarah, who has logged yet another monster time. AlliL. Williams, and Liz Stout have some serious ground to cover if they want to catch up - and of course dark horse Lindsey is still technically in the hunt despite not recording a time beyond her baseline (ahem).

So I spy with my little eye a verrrry interesting final week unfolding for the title of Longest Two Point Time, and Runner Up. We shall see!

Sarah also is killing it in the longest time division (still, bc damn she is logging some serious mileage in two point!). Liz Stout is working hard to close that gap tho, and the perennial 2pt master L. Williams shouldn't be discounted either.

I'm still holding out hope for a good showing from Megan, Olivia, and Amanda tho. C'mon guys - you're all super well positioned to make big moves in this race, let's see it happen!

And. Ahem. Time for some public prodding:

Four riders still show no change from the beginning of October. Carey gets a pass bc she very unfortunately fell (puns) {too soon?} into the "broken rider" category. But Heather, Lindsey and Olivia. All three of you ride multiple horses on the regular. C'mon, what's up with that?!?

I'm either gonna need a doctor's note or a fresh 2pt time lol. Including today, you have SIX DAYS to beat your baseline time - let's see you make it happen!!! Y'all are bringing down the average haha.

***

Anyway tho. Stay strong guys. Less than one week to go. You can do it.

And I'd offer this final challenge to those of you who may not feel very close to the podium: See if you can hit the averages, either the average longest time (6:49) or the average % improved (223%). Either one is a major accomplishment!

38 comments:

  1. I love this post, funny and informative! Yay 2PT!

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    1. why thank you, i strive for nothing less :)

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  2. My week 3 time was 3:05! Going to try for the super-ambitious 5:00 by the deadline...we'll see!

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    1. excellent - thanks for the update! and yasssss go get that 5 minutes :D

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    2. Coming back to say that my final 2pointober time is 5:12!

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  3. LOLOL yaaas go two pointobers!!!

    love the subtle judgey-ness and request for doctor's notes.

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    1. ha. indeed. it's subtle FOR NOW. but recall i promised full out public shaming. the above is a mild 'prodding' - but those three better take note and heed my warnings!! ;P

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  4. I love your play by play and public prodding! And it's never too soon for puns ;0)
    I got back on this weekend, so I might be able to get at least one more time, although I can't be sure it will be longer than my baseline. Do I get a prize for going backwards?

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    1. yay i'm so glad you're back in the saddle!!! and i'm sure we can work something out haha - all efforts are rewarded here at 'Fraidy Cat Eventing (tho i can't promise you'll love the prize lolz)

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  5. graphs! I love graphs!

    I have given up hope of winning prizes, but I plan to churn out some serious w/t/c later this week to see how far I can push myself!

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    1. awww c'mon - aren't we ALL winners when it comes to 2ptober? also you should be proud for both doubling your baseline AND hitting a pretty baller longest time so far. don't quit yet tho!!

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  6. Does the doctor need to have an MD? If not I have a doctor's note... ;)
    I'm going to try to steal a horse and use a jump saddle in a last ditch effort to actually make it to my physical limit.

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    1. yas keep working on it, the contest isn't over yet!! tho of course you've already demonstrated an improvement over your baseline - excusing you from any public shaming on that front haha.

      that said, tho - if you want to beat the group's average for improvement, shoot for a longest time of 4 min :D

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  7. DAMN I have a lot of minutes to add to my time! Ok.. let's see if I can double it AGAIN for the win! Legs don't fail me now. You are also a fantastically fun and informative hostess!

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    1. it's certainly a lot of ground to cover - but i believe in you guys!!!! don't give up!!!! :D

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  8. 5:45 is my latest, I think that might be my all-time personal best for 2ptober lol I was going to bum around bareback tonight but guess I should probably saddle up and do more 2-point before the month is out

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    1. yay congrats on hitting a new record!! and if you do log any more minutes please remember to record your times in the comments before midnight pacific!!

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  9. hey I'm so sorry I missed this past week! It was insane last week up until literally this past hour haha. I never got time to do it :( So even though I HIGHLY doubt I'll win, I'll be sure to get it done for this week!!

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    1. We are all winners in 2ptober right?!? All for the greater good of building strength and becoming better riders!!! Definitely try to get in one last time tho. If you want to beat the average improvement for the group, shoot for a time of 3:45. Or aim for the moon and beat the groups average time by holding the position longer than 6:49!!!

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  10. I love the public prodding, it's so excellent! I would wholeheartedly be in the category of needing more prodding hahahah but see I missed out on even entering this year

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    1. Ha well I would be happily prodding you along too - and will do so now in encouraging you to play along from the sidelines haha. Could you hit the group average by holding your position for 6:49 or longer?!?! :D

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  11. Well, for the first time ever, I hit 8:01 in two point. I am going to try to ride again this weekend so maybe I can bump that up another 30 seconds or so!
    Love the smack talking, ha! But....Where is YOUR baseline? You could two point on Charlie at a walk ;)

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    1. HA I wondered how long it would be before someone asked me that :) as a matter of fact I AM practicing two point with Charlie - typically at the walk during our warm up (I like to let him walk for 10+ min at the beginning of each walk) and also sometimes at the canter bc OMG I JUST LOVE THAT CANTER AND WANT TO CRUISE FOREVER OMG. um. Ahem. Anyway.

      Seriously tho awesome time - keep it up!!!

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  12. **Rips hair out** I cannot legally talk about why my life is a giant swirl of chaos right now, but I have ridden like 6 times in all of October. 1 of which was the day I did my initial two point time. And it's supposed to rain for the rest of the month so the chances of my riding again before the end of the month are slim. Ugh. Fine. I'll go back to the barn and ride again and do my two point time. But I imagine a month of not riding will make my new time even worse than the initial. Is there a special prize for going backwards?

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    1. i believe in you Olivia!!!!! you can do it!!!!!!! also i'm sorry things have been such a swirl of craziness. hopefully it's not something awful :(

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    2. It's not a bad thing at all. I just can't talk about it on social media. Anyway, I posted that comment and then I went to the barn and rode - in the freaking rain - for you and got 7:02.

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    3. YASSSSSS way to make it happen!!!!! :D nice work!!!

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  13. omg I'm the worst. I don't even have a good excuse. I'll do my best to squeeze in timing myself between now and Sunday! I have been doing more two-point here and there, but I haven't actually timed myself. Oops!

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    1. Finally getting my life together and got in some 2-pointing: 7:10!!

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  14. Baby racehorse is cleared for light work. So I got a decent 8:06 of walking only 2-point (seriously though I was going to die from the burning and the sheer boredom). I was ok with that being my final time and then my awesome Mama brought Dee home for me to ride this weekend. A solid 18:21 before I basically died!

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  15. 6:23 for me this week. Not as impressive as some of the competitors but I'll take it :-)

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  16. I got 47 seconds this weekend. Totally driving down the time average but hopefully helping to raise the most improved average. Doing this bareback is tough!

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  17. So I'm going to try and get another ride in after work and after rolling out a round bale (probably in the dark with a flashlight) tomorrow night, but assuming the work day kills me, my times up to 35:16.24. My legs still hurt.

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  18. Maybe I will sneak in another ride tomorrow, but yesterday's was 7:24. I have to take some painkillers and try again. ;) :)

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