A touch early, but I’ve just been told I’m only at worked 1 day between the 21st December and the 2nd January so for the first time in a while, The Festive 500 may be on.

Anyone else looking at it? Anyone else care to share the pain?

I’ll be doing it for the third time this year. I really enjoy the challenge of sneaking a few miles here and there and gettin out for a quiet hour or two on Christmas Day. The distance isn’t a problem – it’s more about the logistics (and families) and the weather. Fingers crossed for a dry week! Plus it really does keep the pounds off and get the year off to a good start.

possibly
going on a mini tour. but too much time in new to me pubs could curtail the distances.

Me, had to abandon due to horrendous weather last year, because Scotland.

New baby and irate partner may kybosh my plan…

I’m in. Last ride of the year will again be the #m25ride of 225 km (anyone is welcome). I was thinking of knocking them off early this year with 300 km of Hillingdon laps! The 25% increase in training load will be nice. And I get another badge to sew on the F500 jersey.

Was slightly miffed by Rapha asking to forgo the roundel…I will make a donation to WBR.

Wonder if Rapha are giving the proceeds of their Festive 500 merch to WBR fund?

I’m thinking if I can get a big, 130 mile plus ride in on Xmas Eve then I can then knock the rest off in smaller, 3 hour chunks. I’d also like to run 100 miles over the same period but I suspect that doing them both is ambitious at best.

I was thinking of knocking them off early this year with 300 km of Hillingdon laps!

That sounds utterly soul destroying!

Yes, I try to mix it up as much as possible, so I’ll do road, gravel and MTB. Getting creative with routes, avoiding frost hollows etc, is essential where I live.

Yep, I’m in.

Gonna try and hit 120 miles on crimbo eve. Then 30 Christmas day. I’ll see how my legs feel after that and wing it!

Yep, Gran Canaria again.
The challenge this year is that our flight home is stupid early on NYE so we miss a day. That said, I managed 800km last year out there so it should be doable. It’s nice to wake up knowing that it’s going to be warm and sunny and then just go out riding with no hassles.

Depending on the flight back and how long it takes to get out of the hellhole that is Manchester Airport, there might be the chance of chucking in a few last minute miles on NYE if I’m short of the distance for any reason.

i only have the 25/26 off work

tempted to try and fit it round work but will decide when i see the weather…… 5hrs into a brutal northerly isnt happening.

I’ve done a decent chunk of it off road the last couple of years but I think I’m going to have less time this year so it’ll probably be a mainlyroadie attempt if I do it.

TiRed, what’s the deal with this M25 ride? I am intrigued and horrified in equal measure.

Ride from Staines bridge to errr Staines bridge. 225 km in about 7:30 plus crossing at Dartford I’ve done it half a dozen times. Route here

https://www.strava.com/activities/1674507299

Gonna have a go again. Last year was very last minute driving to spain on the friday after work through the snow to chuck ou two 100 miler to make it. This year at least I have some leave, won’t be a single day at home though gonna be a mix of belgium and spain again(ma the weather be as nice as last year.

I’m in again, missed out last year. Go the whole week off work this year so should be ‘easy’ to sneak out for a few hours money days (we are hosting the in-laws so it will keep everyone happy!)

If the weather is ok, the challenge is family pressure.
I’ve signed up anyway to do as much as I can. Doubt if I’ll do the full 500.
Weirdly, if I sat on the sofa eating and drinking all week it’s fine.
Being outside is another matter.
So yeah family pressure at this time makes it hard 🙂
Anyone near the Roseland peninsula in Cornwall doing this and want to meet up?

Just finshed my training ride 120K between 0 an 3 degrees and a little drizzle one third in for 45 minutes. Survived didn’t stop at the bakery(as I stocked up beforehand) guess I am ready lets hope I can avoid 10 cm deep snow like on one of last years rides.

Signed up. Managed it last year in the Ice and snow in central Scotland, so it can’t be any worse(can it)
My wife is incredibly supportive and understanding.

Done it for the last 2 years, both times I completed it in three rides (although it was touch and go last year but two back to back tons on the 30th and 31st made sure I sneaked in) kinda fancy doing it in just 2 rides this year but it’ll be totally weather dependent. Being out for 8-9 hours in bad conditions won’t be much fun 😩

I really fancy it, but at centre Parcs until the 27th, which means I’ll be getting hassle for the grandparents about them not seeing my daughter over Christmas! Hmmm, could do with a good kick into the new year though!

It will be bloody hard if I tried. I’ve given up road cycling after a driver broke my spine, so 500 km/miles off road is a bit much.

Commuted in this morning and thought what a tough ask this could be. 15 miles in the freezing cold into a block headwind was no find at all. Not sure I fancy 500km of that!

Commuted in this morning and thought what a tough ask this could be. 15 miles in the freezing cold into a block headwind was no find at all. Not sure I fancy 500km of that!

If it was easy it wouldn’t be a challenge 🙂

still doing my 500ish miles a month challenge. be ok most of the year.
300 miles in a week will be a tough ask, but looking forward to it.

Reckon I’ll go for it again this year, if nothing else to keep me occupied and not wanting to wind up the in-laws at every opportunity 🙂

Where do you sign up for it? It isn’t showing on Challenges on my Strava!

Forget that. I found it through the Rapha site.

Commuted in this morning and thought what a tough ask this could be. 15 miles in the freezing cold into a block headwind was no find at all. Not sure I fancy 500km of that!

Toughen up princess. And get the fixed wheel road bike out. New Year’s eve last time was epic – cold, hail, torrential rain, freezing cold and a 125 km ride into a headwind on 82″ fixed. Snapped the drive side crank with 25 km to go and rode one-legged.

I thought they were allowing indoor rides this year, or am I mistaken?

No indoor rides, but you don’t sound like an indoor kind of guy:)

I thought they were allowing indoor rides this year, or am I mistaken?

There was talk of it (or at least an indoor version of it to run alongside the “proper” Festive 500) but the reaction was so anti that they quietly dropped the idea. I think there were logistical hurdles as well – people might do a mix of indoor and outdoor and it’d be hard to draw the line of what counted.

Yep it was tough last year. Christmas day shitty sleet set the bar for the rest of the week last year. Can’t be worse, if it is then it’s pub and fireside.

I’ve never done it, so will give it a go. Staying with family in Balloch and stranraer so just planning routes. Got a 120km Xmas eve ride planned to start with. Just mulling routes from Glasgow.

Did it last year and doing it again this year.
Not doing the first ride with a monstrous hangover would be my top tip.

Thread bump – everyone ready then?
We’ve been out in Gran Canaria now for about 4 days just getting into the swing of it, getting the legs used to the riding.
Nice weather really does make it so much easier but it’s stupidly hilly out here so that sort of cancels it out!

Got a 115km route planned tomorrow. About 3500m climbing though…

104-105km planned for tomorrow. The weather outside is completely different to what i imagine the weather in Gran canaria is.

I’ve wanted to do this for 8 years but have always been traveling around Christmas.

This year I’m in Dublin and the weather looks ok so I’m in.
Not sure about strategy just yet as I have a head cold and I’ve had 6 weeks off the bike so I’ll see how I feel while I’m out tomorrow.

My aim is to do a 50 mile ride tomrrow and go from there. If I feel good I may stretch that out to 70 but as I need to navigate new areas I may just take it easy and do some site seeing.

Good luck everyone.

100 miles to Grantham and back planned tomorrow. 5 degrees.

Best get some port and cheese in for recovery!

Setting off @6am in the morning and (hopefully)won’t be getting back until 4pm. It’s going to be a long day 😬

My road bike has a puncture