[Closed] Annual Festive 500 Thread

I’m in. Will hopefully be my 2nd completion on the bounce, with only the weather to get in the way this year.

Hoping for a big start on the 24/25th (not currently feeling the form for this) and the potential for an epic adventure later in the week with my wife to make up for doing not much at all festive.

May be bad luck, but I’ve already purchased and worn the branded cap from rapha as my old one died and it was the cheapest one they had.

Not sure I can be arsed this year. Think I'll try and get out on the MTB with some mates while we're allowed instead of thrashing around drizzly roads on my own.

Have a long ride planned for the 30th but hadn't thought about trying for the full 500, would either involve a lot of miles pre-7am or post-7pm (3yr old sleepy times) which I don't really fancy, or a lot of turbo miles which I don't think I'd take much satisfaction from.

I think reaching 6500km for the year is a more realistic goal, just needs 3 more decent rides 😎

Done it twice now(with a failure inbetween) and it was brutal both times. Central Scotland is not conducive to completing it.
Both those wee framed patches mean a lot.
I doff my cap to all who attempt it.

Last year was a breeze and ended up on 600km. This year I'm not even getting the bike out of the cellar. Good luck to those who attempt it.

I’m thinking I may do it. Eight days for 500k should be easy but there’s quite a few buts. I can’t ride on Christmas Day, family duties. I am working 4 of the days so that limits me to a shorter ride. Still around 70k a day for seven days is doable especially as the weekend of 26th/27th should be a great opportunity to bank some ks.

Will see how it starts as day 1 is forecast light snow/sleet. If I can get 70k in on Thursday it’s game on I think.

Legs are tired before this starts though as I have been trying to get my annual distance up recently so have been riding every day for the last six days. If I get 60k in tomorrow I will be on 15500k for the year. That just leaves the festive 500 to get me to 16000.

I'm going to have a go this year. Never had the time to do it before.

As Richard E Grant (and some Danish prince) once said: I have of late, wherefore I know not, lost all of my mirth. 

I need to get it back and I have a feeling that 500km wet km might be just the ticket.

Good luck all

Was all set to do it this year - first in several years where I’m not away from home with work. Because I no longer have a job to go to. 🙄

But now I have COVID, and will be isolating until 27th. Don’t fancy trying 500km in four days. And I feel terrible: I think I may be off my game for a good while after this, whether I’m out of isolation or not.

Tempted to try one long ride as a farewell to 2020 instead. I’ve ticked off this month’s 100k, and I don’t think a real (imperial) century is likely so might kiss that off too.

Best to all those riding it.

I'm in, will be my fifth or sixth, though I skipped last year. I've not got a whole lot else on apart from WFH. I don't mind the cold but this year is looking warm and rainy, which isn't ideal so I reserve the right to abandon and stay dry. On the plus side I do have a new Diverge with mudguards, which is pretty much the perfect Festive 500 bike. I've not done a century this year, for the first time in years, so that could be an opening move and then see what the weather does. IMO Zwift or going to Mallorca / Australia is cheating.

Festive 50 I think. Not this year. But will get out on fixed. No M25 ring either for the last rise of the year. No badges either, so no loss really 🙁

Working 24th and at most I’ll get an hour in on Xmas day, so getting it done in 6 days won’t be fun. One of my club mates is doing it so I’ll join him for company for a few rides.

Tried it twice and never got within 100km. The combo of icy lanes and not many easy kms round here always defeat me. I think you need to get half done in 2 long rides to stand a chance.

I’ve not done a century this year, for the first time in years, so that could be an opening move

Did my first century of 2020 yesterday, was a tough day of headwinds and ice, not sure I'd fancy trying many miles today! I'd want to warm into the challenge I think before going big...

Going to give it a go although the decent start planned for tomorrow may be difficult as it's forecast to be icy now

http://rob-gardiner.com/festive4000/

I have two weeks off and was all ready to go, then tore a glute muscle - now hobbling around the house off the bike till it heals 🙁

I was going to but just checked the weather, its ok Christmas eve and Christmas day although massively windy and I cant get many miles in those days.

Then raining at the weekend with 24mph winds so that is a no go for me.

Snowing Monday and Tuesday again not looking likely.

Then back to work, I dont think I am going to even bother starting it.

You can do it on zwift this year but i think that might be harder than going out in the rain 500k on a turbo trainer would probably push me over the edge....

Yeah, I've been looking at the weather... Hoping for a 100-miler tomorrow in decent weather, a short-ish one on Christmas morning (it's forecast to be frosty but hopefully not too icy) and then see where that leaves me. If I can then find some windows of decent weather from 26th - 31st, hopefully I can tick off what should be about 160-ish miles left to do.

Anyway, the bikes are cleaned and prepped, lights are charged and I've got the basics of a century ride planned out for tomorrow.

I'm so shallow. I've done it five times before but without the prospect of a patch, it holds no interest for me.

I did do the Restrap solstice century last weekend (for the patch, obviously 😀 ).

Not for me this year. Completed a couple of times but torn knee ligaments and a fractured tibia mean I've not done decent distances. Back on bike though so happier.

Looking out the window this morning to a nice covering of snow....mmmm. Not so sure about this festive 500 now

My last 100Km ride was back in mid September, during which by my own standards I smashed it up Cheddar Gorge and Burrington Combe, before crawling back to to the holiday caravan.

I've got no real idea where my stamina fitness is at now, I've woken up late and I've not planned any routes. There's a stiff northerly breeze making it feel like -1C and the weather doesn't improve much over the weekend...

Only ever done a single week of 300+ miles and that was July 2018

Think I'll be taking it one ride at a time, throwing in a number of sub 90min turbo rides and seeing what happens.

Maybe I should just go back to sleep! 🤯

65k this morning to open with. Lovely day, could have done a 100 but have an appointment at 12.00

Shame as I probably won't get out tomorrow and the weather takes a dive after that.....

Hobbled myself on Sunday by ripping a couple of holes in my calf with my pedal...

Hoping I can salvage at least some of the Christmas period for a bit of road riding!

Just signed up after doing the zwift TTT this morning! Not done it before and, being a heathen, will probably do most of it on Zwift (although planning on getting out for reals with the Mrs tomorrow & BD if weather OK!)

110km ticked off this morning and about to head out to rack up another 30km this afternoon. First time I've got a decent chance of getting it done, so praying for consistent miles this year!

Was going to have a crack this year, but what with us being in T4 and the fact there’s a winter storm hitting in the next couple of days it’s going to have to be majority Zwift.

Knocked off a quick 75km in a couple of hours this morning. If I keep doing that I’ll be able to eat like Henry VIII and not end up looking (any more) like him 😉

Managed a flat 107km this morning on Zwift. Not sure if I will complete it, but at least day 1 is a reasonable effort.

68k on Zwift this morning and then a cheeky 20k just now, plan is for 60km poodle around an empty London on 27th then 150k social ride on 30th, the rest will be on Zwift.

Braved the snow and went out for a 72k road ride at lunchtime. So 1/7th of the way there. Day off tomorrow 🤪 I think I deserve a rest.

Had hoped at one stage to open with a 200km audax, but abandoned that idea due to time constraints, which was just as well because the weather was foul this morning: driving sleet. Scaled the proposed mileage back again, from hoping for close to a century to whatever-I-can-get, and did a couple of jobs around the house to put off going out: if I'm only going to ride for a few hours, no point going out in the sleet AND dark. Left about 9, an hour's riding in sleet/snow, but once I'd got out into the proper countryside, having stopped for a coffee and a mince pie, it cleared up and there was a nice dusting of snow making everything look pretty, but not making riding problematic.

The sleet returned as I was coming back into town, but I'd managed to get 60 miles in, so not too bad all told. Probably nowt tomorrow, perhaps Boxing Day too, then back on it, with a 200 to fit in somewhere.

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I think I'll try to tick off a few routes on zwift over the next week. Doubt I'll get many road miles in as I've a full week at work. If I do 250/300km I'll be happy.

First time doing it, will all be done on Zwift as I don’t have an “outside” bike of any description. I’ve had a really lazy year so this’ll be a challenge to round it off.

Did 80km just now. Joined up with a pace partner and took a couple of hours. Same again except it’ll be early morning tomorrow and Boxing Day before work interrupts things on Sunday 🙄

115k down, but plenty of flooded roads.

100 miles (just). Had a few Garmin issues where it crashed and eventually, fearing a corrupted file and the loss of a significant chunk of data, I stopped it, reset everything and started again. Finished the ride with a contrived out and back bit to make up the distance. Anyway, combined the files and sure enough I'm missing about 4 miles where the GPS has just had a complete meltdown but at least the bulk of it is there.

Mostly fairly clean roads, a few slightly icy patches early on.
Lights and GPS on charge, will see what sort of temperatures we get tomorrow and how much ice is around before deciding on a route.

Due to being an hour and half late leaving (thanks work emails!), I just did 99 very enjoyable km. (Yes I should have gone around the block). Saw lots of other riders out taking advantage of the sunny weather (strong headwind notwithstanding).

Another Zwift festive 500 here! It def makes it easier though. 110km ticked off today. Nothing planned tomorrow and then back on it on Boxing Day.

Zwifters it’s amazing how you can tick off distance on a stationary trainer 🤪 what was it Scotty used to say on Star Trek “You canny change the laws of physics”

71Km eventually ticked off on Tempus Fugit just before dinner, stuck in neutral all day and had a few chores to do, plus felt very unconfident about how long I'd manage outside in those wintery conditions because I'm so out of practice of 90min+ rides at the mo.

Slackers...Matt Page has finished...one big ride!

The Welsh Dynamo! Respect.
I managed 80 miles. Sketchy first thing and ****ing Baltic later. Especially the bit where I got a puncture... 😐

https://twitter.com/darwendashers/status/1342111033515778051?s=21

Going to have a go at this, mainly as I have lots of time to fill and I can do the majority of it on Zwift. Not competing for a physical badge means it doesn't feel like cheating too. 70k done today, will try and do 2hr sessions each morning and a 1hr/real ride in the afternoon. Might even chuck in a few 100k attempts too.

Started with 20k on zwift which won't upload to Strava, then went out IRL, 5 k to meet s couple of friends, had a coffee road home, very icy. Back on zwift managed to get in 83, of which 64 are logged, was hoping for better, nothing tomorrow, maybe a long zwift sat then try and get outdoors again

Well after missing out last year due to recovering from a broken shoulder blade I threw my hat into the ring with a 167 km ride today on the TT bike. Sub zero temps first thing so kept to the main roads that were gritted well. Hoping to complete the challenge in 3 rides, last time I did it in 2018 I did it in two massive rides but this year due to COVID it won’t be possible ( 160miles plus would mean I’d have to go well into Cumbria, a tier 2 area so I don’t feel comfortable doing it) hopefully do another Ton on Sunday then another 100miler next week should see me right.

Although I’ve done loads of miles on Zwift I personally don’t feel it’s right doing the Rapha500 on it. To me the challenge is going out in all weathers, having the grit and determination to complete the challenge in horrible conditions.