[Closed] Annual Festive 500 Thread

I'm contemplating it. After 18 festering months of long covid, I got back on the bike in June and have been riding regularly ever since, though still not great on anaerobic stuff - mountain biking in particular is hard atm - which is probably part long covid and part deconditioning. I've done it three or four times in the past, usually a mix of road and mountain biking with a shedload of climbing thrown in, which is what you get for living in the Peak and riding here rather than cunningly relocating somewhere flat and sunny for the duration [you know who you are 😉 ]

No idea if it's a realistic target in my current state, but I've still got a place in next year's Fred Whitton, effectively postponed since 2019, so I should probably find out. Shout if you're about and fancy something flat and steady @crazy-legs - planning on sticking fast tyres on the cross bike and riding mainly on the road I think.

I'll be doing it, a mix of Zwift and real rides. Going to be using it as a springboard for making 2022 a much better year riding-wise, see if I can get some semblance of base fitness ready to hit some training in January.

.. still not great on anaerobic stuff – mountain biking in particular is hard atm – which is probably part long covid and part deconditioning.

Same here although it's down to loss of condition due to pretty much stopping riding mid-summer and my diet going to crap. A mountain bike ride is hard now as I struggle up any kind of hill! Hopefully I can get my fitness back nearly as quickly as I lost it.

A mountain bike ride is hard now as I struggle up any kind of hill! Hopefully I can get my fitness back nearly as quickly as I lost it.

I'm actually amazed at how fast I've regained fitness. Steep stuff on or off road at a steady pace is fine, but what kills me are the sort of short, hard efforts you get on technical uphill sections round here, which just nail me atm. Good luck with it 🙂

Going to give it a shot. Will be in Altea in Spain from 21st til 28th so hoping for some sunny dry outdoor miles, then back to Edinburgh to finish it off, most likely on the turbo.

My 3rd serious attempt this year was thrown off yesterday by snapping my winter road bike frame at the chainstay/seatstay junction (where the threads for the mech hanger are drilled).

If I attempt it it will be on the MTB (with a good portion on tarmac), and not starting till the 27th when I’m back from my parents. At best I’ll get 30-40km a day in while I’m there.

i fell 60 mile short last year, so had plans to do it this year.
i reverted back into AF in november, so my riding had be curtailed a bit.
but i am not one to surrender easily, so i am still gonna give it a go.
it will be very slow. a 10mph festive 500.

I'm working in the middle week, so it's unlikely, but I have 250km ish to knock off to break 5k this year, so want to get that done.

Still in covid recovery so will have to take it reasonably easy...

One year I'll get some time off work to give it a go, but sadly not this year.

Working so no. Still not sure indoor riding should qualify

Will probably give it a go, but it will be mainly on Zwift and that feels a bit of a cheat (again). I’ll have to squeeze most of the rides in when the kids are asleep.. depends if I can manage a run if early mornings or not. If it happens then great, and if not I won’t worry either.

Still not sure indoor riding should qualify

Agree.
I always thought part of the challenge was getting out in bleak conditions.

Can't see me attempting it this year having done my first ever one last Xmas on Zwift, needs an average of 62.5Km per day, I've not done a single ride indoors or out close to that since my outdoor ride up Road To Hell in early October.

Think I'll simply stick to completing my 365 hours for the year, just over 9 hours left now.

I always thought part of the challenge was getting out in bleak conditions.

Depends where in the world you are I guess, but certainly my own experiences of doing it have been in some seriously sketchy and challenging conditions, which is what it's all about for me. 500k in Dec is nothing like 500k in Jun.

That said, I know I'll not get the chance to do it in the real world this year but I might be able to do much of it on the trainer, and it's a good motivator. It should be it's own category for indoor riding though, because it's really not the same thing at all.

I’m doing it again this year. It will all be outside again.

Last couple of years I’ve considered it right up to Christmas Eve and then thought ‘sod it, three years on the trot was enough’.

This year I have a 7 week old baby going into Christmas and am barely scraping one bit of exercise a week around work, baby and remaining a functioning adult, so i might make the Festive 50 an aspiration.

Steep stuff on or off road at a steady pace is fine, but what kills me are the sort of short, hard efforts you get on technical uphill sections round here, which just nail me atm.

I'm struggling with anything resembling a gradient offroad! My timing on technical stuff is all gone too, catching pedals and totally failing to soft pedal on slippery stuff. It'd got to the point where I don't want to go out as I know I'll get frustrated.

I always thought part of the challenge was getting out in bleak conditions.

Totally agree but I think that's why they don't do the physical badge. Also anything that gives people motivation right now is a good thing, happily see it go back to outdoor only once the threat of lockdowns is completely gone.

I'm planning to do it but will admit here and now that I shall probably do a good lump of it indoors because it is easier to get it done like that in terms mainly of time, also I'm not the biggest fan of road riding so.

Did it last year in much the same way with a few mtb rides and some Zwift to pick up on mileage deficits or cover of Christmas Day, Boxing Day etc. as appropriate.

All miles indoor or out are lapping the folk on the sofa. And if an image of a badge on Strava encourages people to get fitter then that has to be a good thing regardless of how it is achieved.

No way could I commit the time to 500k, the wife will still be working and I'll have our boys to entertain. Maybe a festive 250k might be more doable.

Got the bike sorted for a 100km tomorrow, weather is looking decent. 🤞

125km planned for tomorrow & the weather looks meh😁
Doing it indoors is cheating though.

Me. Done a festive 1000 when I lived in Australia. Much easier given the weather. I'll be doing the 500 this year. Attempting to do it mostly on my Xc bike. If I'm feeling sore, I'll be bringing the roadie out to finish it off. Gravel tyres and mudguards on. Recently bought lots of new winter kit, so I don't have a reason not to do it. Starting with about 75km tomorrow, 50km Xmas morning early then a few big rides after. Good training for the season ahead and the Dirty Reiver in April.

100km route planned for tomorrow, everyone else has dropped out already.

Mother in law is down for Xmas so still pretty motivated.

i wont be doing this now. the combo of heart pills and just having a tooth taken out which is still painfull has put a damper on my spirits for it. gonna have a xmas in front of netflix and such.

Did it last year, really struggling for motivation this year but I really want to do something.
I'm 227 miles off 3000 this year so I might just go for that....be mostly on Zwift.
or a festive250 (kms)

Did it last year but forgot to switch on the Garmin for 30 km on one ride and Strava wouldn’t accept a manual upload to complete the 500km. Just seen one of my riding buddies has completed his festive 500 in one sitting riding 47x round one of the local lakes in heavy rain! Might give it a go again this year.

First 100km complete - sodden.

I'd forgotten how much chilblains hurt (and make you feel alive at the same time).

Just under 100km out into the North Downs. Went past North Pole Lane and Christmas Tree Farm, just because.

I only got a smart trainer last week so ticked off 100km this morning doing 25 laps of the volcano circuit. I've got a 50k local loop planned for tomorrow morning and then it'll be a mix of indoor and outdoor after that. This is my 1st attempt.

sod it. #festive250 here I come :-p

After a foolish 40km shakedown ride last night on my new Resolution the 104km initial F500 ride today was hard going. I'm hoping it's going to get easier but the weather looks rubbish for the week ahead.

114k outdoors in the bag.

Got properly soaked from the 50km mark onwards.

I've got a loop up in the centre of London planned for tomorrow on the grounds that it should be relatively traffic free...

Had work, so only got out on an extended lunch break on the MTB. Was like a quagmire. Reckon the road bike is coming out for a few hours early tomorrow morning.Most days I'll be doing 60-70km then two longer days chucked in. 55km today, mostly off road.

100km of sludge on the cross bike. I think I might take up ballet. Or bowls. Just something cleaner 🙂

Hats off to everyone doing it. I'm out this year - too much work to do, which doesn't let up until Feb. But I might start a 2022 riding goals thread to get some ideas to make up for missing the 500. Oddly, I've done fewer miles this year than usual. Not sure why, it's not for lack of desire. Here's to a better 2022.

Anyone actually riding tomorrow?

112km in the bag this morning. Had to do about an hour at vo2 max to get back for my pre-Christmas haircut appointment. Tomorrow definitely a rest day!

Anyone actually riding tomorrow?

I've got a route planned up in central London. Had a couple of ideas over the years but the only realistic day for it is Christmas Day otherwise the traffic is just too shit to make it worthwhile.

On the occasions that I have ridden on Christmas Day in the UK, you tend to get horrendous driving as families load up the car and head off on the unfamiliar route to the relatives with a car full of hyper kids so driving standards are even lower than normal. In the evening, you get the same in reverse except everyone is pissed. It does also feel slightly tragic going out for a ride on Christmas Day...

Hoping central London might avoid those issues. However it's chucking it down here at the moment so if it's like this in the morning, the ride is getting binned off!

Anyone actually riding tomorrow?

I'll probably nip out for a night ride once Mrs_H is off for her nightshift.
TV will be shite anyway 😁

Managed 71km on turbo this morning before going away til late boxing day, may get some short turbo rides tomorrow or Sunday, if I can be left with 400 to go on Monday I'll be pleased any less is a bonus

Hope to do 50 or 60km on the turbo tomorrow (only zwift I'll do), there is that big gap when they all trot off to mass that I have to fill.

I’ll be going out before Mrs Gastro wakes up. Back home for breakfast then out for a few gentle miles with the mrs. We’ll take some port and mince pies for a little snack.

Got out this morning at 6:15 for 45km loop, got home before my wife was up so the rest of the day is ours.

Forgot I don't have a road bike that'll fit on the turbo (just upgraded to an R9 frame and it's bolt thru).

So 40km on a too small 98 Kona Hahanna with 2.35 big apples (🤪) before I couldn't be arsed.

Flat laps to 80km tomorrow on the road bike (fingers crossed). Should have company so I can draft a bit.