03-03-2009, 01:15 AM | #1 |
Hoplite Nomad
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The Distance and Time of the 3 Hunters?
Wow! I have not posted here since the Second age.
Anyway my question is how much distance and in how much time was the distance covered by Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli from Anduin to Rohan? I am curious as to how they compare to real world endurance athletes. Thanks, Afro-elf
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About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer. |
03-03-2009, 04:49 AM | #2 | |||
Salt Miner
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In Two Towers, “Riders of Rohan”, Éomer says to Aragorn,
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Moreover, they slowed as they went, fighting some spell of Saruman’s that beat down upon them to slow their pursuit. I take it that they were moving faster at the beginning than at the end. Gimli, I think, suffered most from fatigue, and Legolas least. They halted mainly to avoid missing the trail or any signs left behind, like the Lórien leaf-brooch that Pippin dropped along the way; secondarily, Aragorn and Gimli required rest to maintain the pace. How that compares with modern or ancient athletes, I do not know. But I think a minimum 4 miles an hour is what you are comparing, and maybe more, depending upon how long you think they rested during the day. By comparison with history, in a forced march under the consul Gaius Claudius Nero, Roman soldiers made 40 miles per day for several days. (Gaius Claudius Nero is not the Emperor Nero, but the Roman general who fought along with the Scipio brothers against Hasdrubal, younger brother of Hannibal, in the Second Punic War, 218 to 201 BC.) 15 or 20 miles a day was probably more typical of the movement of a Roman legion. The famous Roman postal service, or cursus publicus, used fresh horses every few miles and averaged “between forty-one and sixty-seven miles per day.” (PS: I’m not really here, and I’m not really posting.) -|-(Added later) I cited the wrong date: Not 30 February Shire Reckoning, but 29 February; therefore, not 19 February Gregorian but 18 February. Still about 10 hours of daylight. Last edited by Alcuin : 03-03-2009 at 05:29 AM. Reason: wrong date: not 19 February Gregorian but 18 February |
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03-03-2009, 05:02 AM | #3 |
Elf Lord
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Chaka Zulu supposedly had his men do forced marches of between forty and fifty miles a day for several days- of course they were carrying a lot less weight than a legionnaire.
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03-03-2009, 05:39 AM | #4 |
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Remember too that Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli were making their pursuit over rugged terrain - not on roads. And - while they covered ~45 leagues (135 miles) by Eomer's estimate - ere the fourth day was ended, they only had a part of the first day, and a part of the fourth day - so they might well have covered over forty miles of rugged (or at least unpaved) terrain on the full days.
Another historical march of note: King Harold of England marched his army very quickly from York (where they had just defeated Harald Hardrada's attempt to take England) in the north to Hastings in the south (where they were defeated by William of Normandy). I've read somewhere how far and how fast, but don't recall exactly. I think it was on the order of 250 miles in five days.
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03-03-2009, 07:57 AM | #5 | |
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The length of travel and short time spent has always impressed me when you consider Gimli's small stature.. I always wondered what his top speed was!
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03-03-2009, 12:15 PM | #6 | |
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Look here.
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03-03-2009, 01:05 PM | #7 |
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05-09-2013, 02:37 AM | #8 |
Hoplite Nomad
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After four years...
I forgot to thank everyone for their replies. For myself, my exercise walking pace is around 4mph. However, that drops after an hour. Also, it is not wilderness, and I am not carrying any gear nor do I have the will of Saruman against me. Also, comparing the Ultra-marathoners, the 3 Hunters didn't train for their pursuit, and again were hampered by the will of Saruman. Of, course this not to take away anything from the Ultra runners.
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About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer. Last edited by afro-elf : 05-09-2013 at 02:40 AM. Reason: error |
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