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i feel in the right frame of mind to have a go this year.
anyone else?
Yep.
First time I genuinely have a chance to complete it - always fallen to man flu, family commitments or just not been fit enough.
Will be in the highlands for the whole attempt and will need to do most of in hours of darkness not to have bits chopped off for neglecting Mrs C so it's not going to be an easy box to tick.
Done twice, A third time will not go down well at home. Will be doing a mini type event and aim to get out for an hour every day on any type of bike over the two week festive period. Shouldn't get in two much trouble for that. Good luck to those doing the 500. Enjoy.
Swithering but possible yes.
2 years ago I completed it in 3 days. This year I could probably do with starting tomorrow to have half a chance of getting it done.
Yeah, it's kind of tradition now. Last 2 years, I've been in Gran Canaria for it which, while it wasn't "easy" with the amount of climbing out there, is certainly a lot easier than doing it in the wet, cold and dark of a UK winter complete with extra shit driving.
However this year I'm in the UK and one of the days is going to be taken up with driving from London to York.
I've vaguely considered trying to do it in one go in the past but I think that'd turn it into something thoroughly unpleasant. I did manage to do almost a third of it in one go once just by riding from my Dad's place down in Dorset back up to my Mum's in London which was quite a nice way of fitting it in.
In for it again. Finished it twice. Failed last year due to a house wide cold/flu/cat aids epidemic. Weather was perfect as well, unlike the previous two years.
Done it six times. Not sure if that is all of them, or if I missed the first one?
Was there a Rapha Rising this year? did that 5 times - but not been on Strava much this year so may have missed this years??
Is the start date fixed or flexible. We shut ridiculously early -on the 20th this so I might be able to get a head start.
We’re at home for the first Christmas in a few years so will be having an unofficial attempt on the back of the STW 100 day exercise challenge. I was talked into it by some mates a few weeks back and although I’m committed, I’ve no intentions of risking ill health or injury due to poor weather. We also have family staying so it could get complicated!
Done it the last 2 years. Doing it again this year.
It's a good excuse to miss out all the enforced festive socialising plus it's good puffer training. It also stops be turning into a barrage balloon with all the food and booze that would otherwise be consumed that week.
Could some of you people on the internet that I've never met please peer pressure me into doing this please?
Is the start date fixed or flexible. We shut ridiculously early -on the 20th this so I might be able to get a head start.
No, it's 24th to 31st inclusive.
Done it six times. Not sure if that is all of them, or if I missed the first one?
It's been going 10 years now! I'd have to go back through Strava to see how many I've done...
Might do Festive 500mtrs..
No, it’s 24th to 31st inclusive
Cheers, hopefully won’t have too many outlaw visits to interfere so may be a possibility.
Brothers for christmas, inlaws for boxing day. I dont think i really stand a chance unless i absolutely smash it with a few big efforts (unlikely) otherwise its 100k a day for 5 days!
Might attempt a 200k ride if the weather is favourable because ive never done one and there'll people wanting to get their 500 so happy to go out.
I’m planning a 160km on 24th and I’ll see if that’s a good enough start.
I was planning to do it in two rides. We shall see. Early start for the first.
Any chance of an offroad version? The STW MincePie Mudfest? Or something that doesn't mean hours on a road bike.
Or something that doesn’t mean hours on a road bike.
choose your routes carefully and hours on a road bike can be fun.
and you will keep clean for café and pub stops.
Any chance of an offroad version? The STW MincePie Mudfest? Or something that doesn’t mean hours on a road bike.
TBH the 500k almost isn't the point. It's a social thing.
Because it's popular with roadies it means that clubs will likely have club runs every morning of that week which is great. Probably only a handful will do the full 500, but because someones bothered to plan a ~75 mile morning ride to whatever cafe is open you'll get 10-20 people out on a drizzly Monday.
Nothing stopping you setting a target of 200 miles off road and convincing your mates to join in every day.
Any chance of an offroad version? The STW MincePie Mudfest? Or something that doesn’t mean hours on a road bike.
You can do it on a mountain bike, Strava doesn't care. I usually do a mix of road, cross bike and mountain bike miles. Admittedly it'd be hard work doing the whole thing off road, but then the whole point of it is simply to add a little artificial incentive to ride your bike.
I guess you could always decide that mountain bike miles count double and aim for 250km and start a thread here on that basis?
I'll try but I'll probably fail. Family commitments, weather, laziness will stop be once again. Closest I've ever got was 440 and that was last year
little one means zero chance.
Im also doing marcothon which is 5k each day - which i'm sure while we are at the inlaws will become 10 or 15k in the spirit of training for something.....Might be able to snatch a few early doors rides if im lucky but i doubt they will tot up to 500k - reminds me i must get the winter bikes chain/cassette/big ring replaced prior
Any chance of an offroad version? The STW MincePie Mudfest? Or something that doesn’t mean hours on a road bike.
its hours on a road bike or many many more hours on an mtb mind....
no chance as we go away for 3-4 days of it.
its hours on a road bike or many many more hours on an mtb mind….
Aye was thinking more like 200km on MTB. Either way, little chance for me so I'll butt out.
No chance of doing it on the bike but I may do a running equivalent.
If a marathon at 42km is the running equivalent to a cycling imperial century (160km) then I need to run 131km or 81 miles to do the equivalent of 500km cycling.
That is just about doable.
No chance of doing it on the bike but I may do a running equivalent.
If a marathon at 42km is the running equivalent to a cycling imperial century (160km) then I need to run 131km or 81 miles to do the equivalent of 500km cycling.
That is just about doable.
IME running and cycling a given distance are different. Riding 100 miles is easy even without much fitness, you just ride at 80% and eat lots, 6 hours later it's done. You couldn't however run a marathon without building upto it. Even walking it (and being in a fit state to repeat it the next day) requires some fitness.
If I go out with the 'steady' clubrun (out of social (14mph), steady, brisk and fast >22mph) I can happily ride for 4 hours and feel no soreness afterwards. If I went out tonight with the intention of running 5k I'd barely walk tomorrow!
IME running and cycling a given distance are different. Riding 100 miles is easy even without much fitness, you just ride at 80% and eat lots, 6 hours later it’s done. You couldn’t however run a marathon without building upto it. Even walking it (and being in a fit state to repeat it the next day) requires some fitness.
That's a very fair comment, thinking again...
81 miles means 10 average per day. So with a couple of shorter runs, it's still a half marathon most days. A tough ask.
I've considered it in previous years, and then decided that actually it would eat into time I'd rather be spending with family and friends while they're around and off work, and the weather's shit anyway (yes, I know that's kind of the point). Then last year I had a bad cold anyway.
This year I'm at home, family visiting only for a couple of days and my other half working quite a few days, so I might give it a go.
I roughed out a plan last year of a couple of 100ks, and some shorter ones around stuff, and there looked to be quite a lot left over. If I do it this year, I think it'll probably be as 3x166km. Three full days, then it's done. Only three rides to prepare for, three times to persuade myself out the door, three lots of kit to wash and dry (who am I kidding, it'll just get dried and re-used). Will end up seeing nicer places/riding on quieter roads to boot.
IME running and cycling a given distance are different. Riding 100 miles is easy even without much fitness, you just ride at 80% and eat lots, 6 hours later it’s done. You couldn’t however run a marathon without building upto it. Even walking it (and being in a fit state to repeat it the next day) requires some fitness.
If I go out with the ‘steady’ clubrun (out of social (14mph), steady, brisk and fast >22mph) I can happily ride for 4 hours and feel no soreness afterwards. If I went out tonight with the intention of running 5k I’d barely walk tomorrow!
That shows just how differently we are all built. My experience is very different to yours. Before my hip went I could run 10 miles a day every day with barely a thought. In my old tri days the rough rule of thumb was 1 mile swimming = 4 miles road running = 16 miles road riding when working out training volume.
That shows just how differently we are all built. My experience is very different to yours. Before my hip went I could run 10 miles a day every day with barely a thought. In my old tri days the rough rule of thumb was 1 mile swimming = 4 miles road running = 16 miles road riding when working out training volume.
I think it's because I just don't run. Even starting slowly and building up (e.g. C25K) I end up with injuries long before I get to 5k. At one point I grew an extra sesmoid bone in my foot, and broke that as well!
Cycling on the other hand, I'm just happy to suffer at for hours.
tinas thats because your a cyclist.
if i took stuart from accounts over the office there out on a bike for 100 miles even though he is a fit guy i doubt he would be talking to me the next day - i doubt he would be repeating the feat either.
if i took stuart from accounts over the office there out on a bike for 100 miles even though he is a fit guy i doubt he would be talking to me the next day – i doubt he would be repeating the feat either.
I don't entirely agree. I convinced my FiL, in his 60s, to do Ride to the Sun (edit: 100 miles overnight, for the unfamiliar) a couple of years ago. He's not unfit, but doesn't do a whole lot of exercise, and had barely ridden a bike. He managed it though - not quickly, but he did it. He wouldn't have been able to do it again the following day, but he could walk.
Running's very different. Greater impact, and more intense use of the muscles. If you're not used to it, you don't have to do very much before you start hurting. On the other hand, you can put most people, if not very overweight or unfit, on a bike and they'll be able to spin for hours if motivated and well fed. They might not necessarily enjoy it though.
I roughed out a plan last year of a couple of 100ks, and some shorter ones around stuff, and there looked to be quite a lot left over. If I do it this year, I think it’ll probably be as 3x166km. Three full days, then it’s done.
I like to front load it if possible - get a significant chunk of it out the way early on so I don't end up on NYE needing to do a century to finish it off! Other than that I don't really plan it much. Depends on the weather.
Not for me this year. A fractured shoulder blade at the end of October has put paid to any plans I had. Shame really, done it for the last three years and always enjoyed the challenge. For the last two years I’ve even managed it in just two rides.
A marathon is [b]much[/b] harder than 100 mile ride*.
When I was fitter, I have done 100 miles a day, day after day. Touring admittedly, so no rush, lots of cakes and all the food you could eat at the end of the day (this is part of the appeal of touring imo!).
Even when in good running shape I could no way consider a second marathon, let alone two weeks of them daily.
But then as other have said, I’m a cyclist. And Eddie Izzard is the counterexample. Marathons every day for ever!
*for me.
Edit. Four:one above isn’t far off marathon:century. Seems other folk are different from me. Who knew?
@sockpuppet if you’re meaning me there’s not a hope in hell I could do a marathon. Tried doing that running malarkey and was hopeless at it. Within two miles I was blowing outta my arse and walking. Plonk me on a bike and I can do a ton without blinking. Horses for courses I guess.
I've done it the last three or four years. I've really enjoyed it as it gets me outside, keeps the weight off and has led to some fairly epic (fun) days. The family has been fairly supportive / bemused too. But I'm wavering this year as I'll have a lot of work to do and it really takes over daylight hours. Will probably depend on how grim the weather is. I do recommend it though: turkey sandwiches and christmas cake FTW.
crazy-legs
Subscriber
It’s been going 10 years now! I’d have to go back through Strava to see how many I’ve done…
Wow 10 years; honestly didnt know that.
Just read only 84 people participated in the very first Festive 500 ... will those Roundels be very expensive collector items in a few years?
I think it shows how far Strava has come in that time. When I joined in 2010 there were lots of people in the club who frowned upon it; much the same as those club members who frown upon Zwift ... but over the years practically all of them have joined .. and most regularly use it to post anything from a bike ride to walking the dog.
What about festive 5000m ascent for MTB? If you live in the hills that is.
500m per day. Sound reasonable? It’s definitely achievable here in S. Wales.
Just read only 84 people participated in the very first Festive 500
I did the first, with a small bunch of the ex Imperial Cycle Club (as it was then known) it was like a fresh start, a new beginning almost. And the London/Manchester audax'y thing was being mooted..
Some of my mates still continue to do it, for them it's a pilgrimage. And you do find that old friends do turn out for it.
Weather forecast is looking reasonable. Mild, dry(ish) if you don't count the near endless rain of December so far...
Got 100km planned with a mate on Christmas Eve, see how things go after that.
What's everyone else's plans?
I’m doing it again this year. I did it in 2016 and 2017, the weather was bad both years, but 2017 most of the riding was on ice in gale force winds. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m the slowest cyclist who does it, my average speed is about 8 miles per hour - that’s a lot of hours.
I’m looking forward to it though and hoping it will kickstart a more active MMXX. Like crazy-legs I’m planning on doing 100 km on Tuesday, but I’ll be on my Tod.
Good luck everyone!