On Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 10:54:32 PM UTC-5, MNLou wrote:
Hank, Charlie, and Dave -

I should have made myself more clear -

For you "contest monsters" who focus on, fly, and win at the National level, of course you are always racing - even when you are practicing. That's what it takes to get fast. If you fly OLC, you max it out.

My contrast to a contest pilot was a pilot who flies XC but isn't trying to max out speed - just get around the course. Think a 200km triangle on a mid-summer day. Doesn't care too much about speed or how may OLC he/she gets. Just wants to have fun, go someplace, and get home.

I believe that pilot would fly more conservatively to maximize altitude and minimize the risk of landing out. A faster speed that eats up more altitude gains them nothing and potentially costs them big time.

Lou

I do that sort of flying a lot (laid back, just wafting around the area), then again, I also do longer XC's from our place. We don't always get great weather, but if you want to cover some miles, you can't really just waft along, you need to keep the pace up.
My 500K took almost 7 hours (on thermals in southern NY), when it worked, I had to keep moving, when it didn't I went slow.
Not really any different than a contest flight, just longer.

Not saying everyone needs to do long flights, or "scorch the skies" for speed, some just like to get high and take a local tour. Nothing wrong with that.

But if you want to do contests, or, longer XC flights, you have to practice it (faster/more efficient flying), you can't just decide, "Hey, I never do it, but I will today!"
Just like doing a marathon, you really can't wake up one morning, pull on sneakers and say, "Hey, lets go do a marathon today". It will be a long day and you likely won't feel too good for a week or so after.