Festive 500

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.

Richpips and Minipips posted on Twitter and Instagram earlier, they did 111 miles today. 😯

Ooft managed a 120km grind today around the borders. The wind got pretty bad so working a bit too hard on the return. A good start but not sure I can manage it 3 more times…

Managed around 65k today around work, very windy

185km, weather was a bit shite

Anyone riding today?
I’m not – I’ve planned the week to give me a couple of days off. Went for a ride round Richmond Park one Christmas morning and it was lovely, families out playing with bikes, scooters, kites that they’d just unwrapped, everyone really cheerful.
But I did a road ride the following year and it was hell on earth, in amongst idiot drivers who were obviously late for lunch at the relatives and had a car full of screaming hyper kids.

Yup, after breakfast I’ve got my “Hell of the Wath” planned.. 88ks of North Nidderdale climbing..

Should be ace as the wind has died down a bit..

Another sodden, wet and cold CXer ride.

My kidneys are cold and I’m just about to let the tyres down to make sure I don’t ride tomoz, but expect I’ll do 60k ish..

😛
To the weather.

30 miles with MC this morning, got to try out the Gabba 2 Santa brought me. Then another battering headwind into work, so hopefully a tailwind home tonight.

Extended the commute home last night to 30 miles, went from beautiful clear sky and full moon lighting the lanes to 6C and raining 🙄 Anybody would think it was December 🙂

Some guy in Zurich apparently did 520km on the 24th in about 15 hours at an average of 35kph…………

Aye right …………….

Did a Festive 50 this morning, took me nearly as long to plan an exactly 50km loop as it did to ride it!

Think that’ll do me until next year though. Good luck to all of you doing it properly.

Anyone get out today? Got 80km on the day 1 this morning, despite sitting on the toilet most of Christmas day morning! Another 80 tomorrow and Monday planned and then try to hoover up most of the rest on Tuesday…

85 miles / 137km today. CX bike out in the Kent & Surrey lanes and because it was Boxing Day I rode up Box Hill.
Grey day but dry, really warm, I was quite overdressed in my winter tights. Saw quite a few riders out in shorts.

221km done, 279km to go!

Managed 80km this morning to keep it ticking over. Foul weather with a bit of snow on the ground up around Fala. All the cafes were shut too!

I’m half way through now, it’s taking its toll.

Nope not for me today.

I’m not used to the wet, cold and windy conditions of North Yorkshire. I’ll happily admit I’m a soft southern Jessie. It’s still bloody windy up here, cold too. The rain is testing my normal resolve right to he limit. I took a drive out to Pateley Bridge but on the way drove over the moors (the routes I normally use when I’m riding up here) and had to turn back twice due to the floods. Got to Pateley and got turned around by Plod. Headed up over the moors towards Kirkby Malzard and entered the cloud drizzle, downpour.

It’s quite testing this weather. Mates from home have texted that it’s warm, dull but warm, down south and I really wish I was there. I’da probably done over half by now as is I sit at 212k which all things considered isn’t too bad. Conditions don’t look like cheering up much in the next few days so I guess I’ll have to make the best of it. If I fail I’ll be right pissed off.

North Yorkshire for all its beauty is a brutal place in winter.

Mates from home have texted that it’s warm, dull but warm, down south and I really wish I was there.

It’s stupidly warm down south. Feels like Spring. Windy but even with just a base layer and my Stealth jacket, I was still too warm (although some of that was down to the Rapha tights which cover a lot of the core).

Some slight flooding in places, just surface water, nothing like as bad as oop north.

38 miles / 61km today, just a spin around Richmond Park then across town to hopefully catch Richpips and Minipips as they came into town from their Manchester – London ride.

However that didn’t work out, Tom (minipips) has apparently come off his bike although he’s OK (just going from what Rich tweeted).

282km done now, should get the rest within 2 rides – probably Tuesday & Wednesday.

I’m over half way done. A few extended commutes should get me near the finish line.

I’m at zero til Tuesday now. This weather is not inspiring me to get out, I’ll probably end up at about 180km

Up to 146km after today’s jaunt. Can’t ride tomorrow, and given current fitness is topping me out at about 40 miles on the road I don’t think I’m going to complete it this year. Will be happy with 250km.

Some of the top ten are seriously impressive although the current leader is looking a little suspicious.

Bump!

Richpips and minipips need your help http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-small-bike-needed-in-london-now%5D

Before I left for Northumberland I rattled off 64k over the North Yorkshire moors on the CXer. It was sunny and remarkable for winter, warm too.
I am shattered mind, 283k and I might decide to bin this years attempt.
So a few days off in a swanky hotel near Keilder Forest should perk me up a bit.

Well done all.

Hope mini pips sorts himself out. That pair are slightly derainged, in a kinda good way. 😯

Good to see some spurious attempts have been removed and Steven Abraham is at the top currently.

Now on 321km on SS with a planned monster ride to finish (hopefully) tomorrow. Might take some gears…

I wasn’t planning on riding today but I needed to collect my contact lenses from the opticians so as it was nice weather and even fairly warm, I rode down there. This then turned into a 50km CX ride! About 170km left for me; planning a big ride tomorrow and if that doesn’t get it all, a short spin on NYE.

I see Richpips & Minipips managed to get a bike loan sorted after Tom’s accident yesterday and they finished their Festive 500 today.

I’m in but unlikely to complete it, did over 200 miles last week and I’m knackered. Need to do another 116 to hit my 6000 mile annual target and as I’m working this week that’s going to be done through commuting miles.

I’ve got all the free time to do double the festive 500. I just am not capable of doing even half the festive 500 due to aches and pains.

Started yesterday and half way there now after 2 x 125km days. supposed to be nice tomorrow so I’ll try to get another 200km done which will ‘just’ leave a 50km cafe cruise for Thursday.

Doing Majorca 312 in April mind so I have to find a way of doing 300km+ in one sitting somehow!

Just 100km to go now. Having to work is getting in the way of that though.

still on track, but given Wednesday is supposed to be 50mph winds and rain I’ll be putting in extra miles tonight and plan for more on thursday evening so I can hit 500 without needing to ride Wednesday.

Yesterday’s CX race was an even bigger dent in my daily mileage aim – snapped rear mech on first lap 🙁

Huge kudos to the Pipps…

Finished today with a rather long ride. No pedalling tomorrow but might do a little bit more on Thurs

Challenge complete. Two days rest now before the North Bucks Road Club 10 mile TT on new years day.

(near Milton Keynes for anyone that is keen…not members welcome!)

Only managed 116km / 72 miles in the Lakes today. To be fair I thought it was a big ask to do the remaining 170km in one go so I’m left with 51km now which I’ll do on NYE, little roll out to a café somewhere.

Really nice ride on the CX, roads were filthy in places with flood debris though and I had to re-route a couple of times to avoid closed roads – slow going at times and I basically ran out of light. Hell of a lot of damage in places. Forecast there for tomorrow looks appalling as well. 🙁

I ran out of time this evening with just 18 miles to go. Shame as the weather was bang on and I felt great. Ah well, Thursday’s ride to work will break the 500km and anything on the way home is a bonus.

Slow start for me, only had 50km on the clock on Sunday, but managed to do 320km in the last 3 days so now within touching distance. The storm tomorrow will probably prevent me finishing it in one go but an early start on NYE should sort it. Nearly killed me this year. Spent the last 4 weeks doing bugger all so I’m rather unfit. Still, good way to get back into it.

Well today’s the last day. I think I’ll fail this years target, not by a lot, fail I will.

Been an odd few days on the whole, Yorkshire has been particularly grim this year, which being a soft southern shandy drinker, has lead me to short days, intermittent days. A jaunt up to Hexham didn’t reveal much riding either, a short stint of 40k on the NCN72 was all I could fit in.

So it’s left me, after today’s ride, with 54k left to do. I’ll not be doing laps of the A27 just to fit that in, I’ll bail out and ride the glorious Hampshire lanes one last time this year and enjoy the scenery.

Well done to all you who have tried, failed, completed it. I hope you got to see some excellent views, smelt the air, chilled your bones, sweat the seat of your saddle.

8)

512km done with one final commute home of around 40km later to add to that. Then I will be putting the bike in the cellar and going to the pub. Happy New Year!