[Closed] Festive 500

The daily amount is doable, it's all the other stuff at that time of year that gets in the way of going out every day. Plus the weathers likely crap!

Might sign up and try to do it in 3 or 4 rides

my best is about half. I reckon on 3/4 big days is easier than every one.

I've signed up for it. I reckon I'll do it in smaller bits as I've got to work but I can take some 2-hour rides during the day

I'm thinking a couple of bigger rides at the start to break the back of it then mop the rest up with extended commutes. I have Christmas day by myself so I reckon a decent ride could be on the cards. Recovery day on Boxing day with the family then another good ride on the 27th.

I've done it the past two years, so I'll be aiming for a third. Good excuse to eat more.

I;m sure Richpips will be along shortly...

I'm looking forward to finishing my 2015 500 Miles a Month challenge by Christmas Eve and not having to even think about riding over Christmas 🙂

I'm single at Christmas for the first time in years, only a couple of commitments so let's have it.

With two sprogs under 3 it looks about as achievable to me as peace in the middle east.

Doing it again on the CXer, same as last year.

I'm off to do a reccie of the Dirty Reiver in Northumberland so should get 100k out of that easy, the rest will be a mix of South Downs hacks and North York moors fire roads.

Done it for the last few years although last year, in spite of all my intentions to smash it, I ended up just scraping in by about 5km.

Mister P ^^ has the right idea - a couple of big rides early on to get a good start on it and then the rest as and when. The worst thing is ending up on NYE with 130km to do in crap weather...

The worst thing is ending up on NYE with 130km to do in crap weather...

Last year I had 205km to go on the day before NYE and was under strict instructions from the Mrs that under no circumstances was I going out on my bike on NYE as we had loads of people coming round to stay. I got the route wrong and ended up riding up and down Calder Valley between Walsden and Mytholmroyd in the rain at 8pm just to get an extra 20km. Not sure I can be arsed this year.

I did it 2 years ago, and found myself doing laps of a local industrial estate at 11pm on the 30th to get close, then finished it off with a 100 puncture-fest on NYE in the lashing rain. My toes turned purple on day 2 and didn't go back to a normal colour until April.

Weirdly considering doing it again this year...

I'm sure Richpips will be along shortly...

They had a disaster last year, both of them got really ill about 3 days in and just binned it off. Better to live to ride another day!

I know they're visiting friends in London at some point so Rich's plan is that he and Minipips ride there (it's "only" 220 miles...) while his wife and daughter drive. Proper hardcore! 🙂

That's the spirit PrinceJohn 😀

I'm getting well and truly stuck in to my annual festive injury-fest, tendinosis in my hamstrings/top of calves after an over enthusiastic autumn of long rides with a slightly lower front end and lots of tucking out of the wind on long solo rides 🙁

Physio might have me riding by christmas but I think I'll stick to my 'Festive 5[s]00[/s] Munros' instead, would be rude not to if I'm spending six days at the folks in the West Highlands 😀

I hate the way these things are always distance and not hours as I really dont fancy trying that off road bit on road it would be fairly do able if not lots of fun
Its a no from me

To revive the original thread..

New tyres bought 😀
Challenge Gravel Grinders 😆

These should last about 36mins on the fire roads of Northumberland I reckon. 🙄

So, up early before the wife goes to work to kick off my miles...

Weather looks awful, and go be in with a chance I need 200 miles tomorrow. Think I'll be giving it a miss this year.

[img] [/img]

End of day one one report. It's hot damm hot and getting hotter...

78k down...

I'm dropping my daughter off at her mum around 10am, just as a band of rain hits. So my first ride is going to be a rather damp one.

Good start oxym0r0n.

Planned for at least 100km today, but 50mph gusts means it's just not safe. Might have to go out Christmas Day instead, think it's just heavy rain and 25mph winds forecast.

40mph gust, driving rain and Waitrose click and collect 😆

Later it is..

I'm sure each festive 500 holds it's own challenges as British conditiosn are so variable. Horrible wet and wind this season but I can imagine on other years, it is the ice or snow which adds interest

Outdoors, not a chance! About the toughest time of year to find the time to ride outdoors with little kiddies.

How about a turbo version? Maybe 16 hours of turbo time? Or maybe 1000 TSS as a target?

80km this morning.
Got home literally seconds before the rain started! Bloody windy though.

I'm tempted to do it on Zwift but not sure that's really the point of it. Anyone recording it in some sort of fancy leather bound book?

festive for me is christmas day until the 28th, don't think i'll manage it

Did just over 100k this morning but hard graft in the wind. Weather isn't looking great for next week so feeling slightly daunted!

I'd ruddy love to be able to do this.
Not that I couldn't physically ride that far (2-3 decent rides would do it)...it's as has been said.. [i]The daily amount is doable, it's all the other stuff at that time of year that gets in the way of going out every day[/i]..

Enjoy it those who are doing it!

DrP

The current leader is someone in Japan who's already clocked a 300km ride! Might have a look back this evening and see if someone in Australia has done the full 500 in one go, there's usually at least one hardcore nutter that manages it.

Isn't it between Christmas and New year? It's only JUST christmas day in japan (now actually)

DrP

I stand corrected... Xmas EVE till new year..

As you were..

DrP

Bad start, can't do today. Cant do Christmas day, can't do Monday as I'm racing and now working NYE, can't do any evenings. So I'll just see what the four days bring.
That's a festive challenge.
Doing it in one hit is a bit like just doing an Audax.

The blinking British weather getting in the way! Crashtestmonkey is planning on it as we are working all Christmas! but he has to extend his ride on the way home today!

I am disappointed I can't join in as I won't be able to do it! So I'm doing my own Festive 50 😉

Tempted by a Festive FA.

I'll join you Oldgit...

DrP

working 5 out of the 8 days so that's 16.5 (~26km) miles in, and planning to extend my homeward rides to add mileage. A CX race on the 28th means a day of very low but painfully hard mileage and wanting to save my legs the day before, so going to be a bit of a balancing act and might end up with some long days at the end. I live north-east of work so for the last couple of months it's been a solid headwind in, then a lovely tailwind home.

Today particularly grim, brutal headwind in + trying to stay in Z2 = speeds as low as 12mph 🙁

Today was interesting. With some wind and rain meaning I set off later I encountered a lot of lanes flooded. There was much riding through with feet up and out going 'Wheeeeeee'. Then there was a driver of a lorry who tried to force me off the road and then when approached about his actions at a set of roadworks, got rather shouty and threatened to run me over next time. I couldn't entice him down from his cab though. So I went in front of him and took a photo for posterity. Hills Transport of Shrewsbury, in case you are wondering.
The hail has come in sideways now but I am wondering about a short blast on the singlespeed later. Good luck all.

Well that's a quarter of it done. I just hope the wind and rain clear off, today's ride was seriously lacking in any fun factor.

Hard work up in North Yorkshire .... Cold, wet and bloody windy... 😈

76k in and I'm just about to go check my sanity levels by taking a long hard look at myself in the mirror.

67km done. Went from the house to Glenfinnan and back. Surprisingly enjoyable, like most bike rides in poor weather.