Anyone going to try the Rapha Festive 500 this year?
Discussion
I'm all set to get cracking first thing tomorrow. I'm supposed to be at work but I'm also leaving my job in early January, so f
k it.
Plan is to get roughly 150km in the bag tomorrow around the New Forest, take Christmas Day off and then chip away at the rest of it by riding to and from various family visits whilst the wife and kids go in the car. The weather down south isn't looking too bad and the roads are starting to dry out a bit now too. The only slight problem is that one of the half-decent wheels on my winter bike failed the other week and it's now back on the crappy budget ones it came with so it's now going to be that little bit harder work.
Still, at least I'll be burning a few more mince pies off.
Good luck to everyone having a go.
k it.Plan is to get roughly 150km in the bag tomorrow around the New Forest, take Christmas Day off and then chip away at the rest of it by riding to and from various family visits whilst the wife and kids go in the car. The weather down south isn't looking too bad and the roads are starting to dry out a bit now too. The only slight problem is that one of the half-decent wheels on my winter bike failed the other week and it's now back on the crappy budget ones it came with so it's now going to be that little bit harder work.
Still, at least I'll be burning a few more mince pies off.
Good luck to everyone having a go.
If you see someone on a bright orange Specialized pedalling through the forest tomorrow looking very tired, that may be me!
Other than tomorrow, my other rides will be heading east out to West Chilington to my sister’s on Boxing Day (and then back the next day) followed by a trip to the in-laws’ in Chandlers Ford, which will require an unnecessarily circuitous route from my place in Warsash to get the miles in.
I reckon I’ll still end the Christmas holidays a couple of kilos heavier than I started it, despite the exercise. God only knows how much it would be if I did what I used to do and spent it on my arse.
Other than tomorrow, my other rides will be heading east out to West Chilington to my sister’s on Boxing Day (and then back the next day) followed by a trip to the in-laws’ in Chandlers Ford, which will require an unnecessarily circuitous route from my place in Warsash to get the miles in.
I reckon I’ll still end the Christmas holidays a couple of kilos heavier than I started it, despite the exercise. God only knows how much it would be if I did what I used to do and spent it on my arse.
mooseracer said:
Just back from a 65 mile ride. Kudos to anyone out riding in the South Glos area today - bloody windy!
Great effort! I managed 133km around Southampton and the New Forest today. There were a few exposed bits in the forest where I felt like I was going backwards because of the headwind. At least I had a nice tailwind for the return leg. The legs are feeling a bit tired so will get a rest tomorrow and then I’ll be back on it to tackle the South Downs on Boxing Day. Happy Christmas all!
Wow, incredible effort Solocle 
I tipped over 400km today and intend to finish it off with one ride tomorrow. My legs are starting to feel it now too. I’m ok on the flat, but show me a hill and I’m crawling up it.
Tomorrow is looking like a nice day though so it will be good to finish in the sunshine.
I tipped over 400km today and intend to finish it off with one ride tomorrow. My legs are starting to feel it now too. I’m ok on the flat, but show me a hill and I’m crawling up it.
Tomorrow is looking like a nice day though so it will be good to finish in the sunshine.
JPJPJP said:
that's quite a drink lauda! well done on the 500+km though, good work
Cheers! The drink is a Costa Black Forest hot chocolate. I only allow myself one a year once they’re in store (on account of the fact that it probably contains a weeks-worth of sugar) and I figured I deserved it today. 
Amazing riding yellowjack. I’ve never hit 200km on a single ride (the closest I got was 190-ish and that left me spent for about a week) so managing two in the space of a week is no mean feat.
Well, as we bring the 2019 chapter of this thread to a close, I’d just like to leave you all with this message:
See you again in 2020!
Well, as we bring the 2019 chapter of this thread to a close, I’d just like to leave you all with this message:
See you again in 2020!
Picked my badge up from the Soho store today. Not sure why really since it’s just going to end up in a drawer somewhere.
However, I had it in my mind that the email they sent out about the badges early in the new year said you could either have it posted or collect from the store and get a free coffee.
When I asked about the coffee today I got a very blank look. I can’t find the original email about badge collection/delivery and am wondering if I’m going mad or whether they’ve just quietly cancelled the coffee?
However, I had it in my mind that the email they sent out about the badges early in the new year said you could either have it posted or collect from the store and get a free coffee.
When I asked about the coffee today I got a very blank look. I can’t find the original email about badge collection/delivery and am wondering if I’m going mad or whether they’ve just quietly cancelled the coffee?
Time to resurrect this thread again. I see that Zwift rides are going to count for this year's Festive 500. Make sense given the possibility of lockdown or people being required to isolate but does undermine the challenge somewhat since it’s a hell of a lot easier to knock out 500km on Zwift than it is on the road.
Having said that, I did most of my mileage in previous years visiting friends and family over Christmas, which I won’t be doing this year, so I probably will do a mixture of indoor and outdoor rides, weather depending.
I don’t think I’ll feel the same sense of achievement in completing it but it will help to keep some of the Christmas kilos off and at least there’s a social element to Zwift to pass the time.
So who else is in?
Having said that, I did most of my mileage in previous years visiting friends and family over Christmas, which I won’t be doing this year, so I probably will do a mixture of indoor and outdoor rides, weather depending.
I don’t think I’ll feel the same sense of achievement in completing it but it will help to keep some of the Christmas kilos off and at least there’s a social element to Zwift to pass the time.
So who else is in?
This article definitely says that virtual rides will count and that specific Zwift rides will be organised to help people complete the challenge:
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/raphas-festiv...
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/raphas-festiv...
okgo said:
The age old question - who gives a st? It's some wk little badge from a pompous cycling brand.
Like those prats riding certain distances for a certain amount of days, who cares.
I guess it matters to the people it matter to. No one is asking you not to give a st? It's some wk little badge from a pompous cycling brand.Like those prats riding certain distances for a certain amount of days, who cares.
t on their behalf. okgo said:
@ ares - Forget the population, we're not talking about them, we're talking about people that ride bikes for a hobby. It isn't a physical challenge particularly, indoors is a mental challenge that I'd say is harder than out, but I may be alone in thinking that. You are unusual in how much you do indoors, many people can't stand it for that amount of time. If zwift could match speed properly I think doing it indoors is really quite a feat.
I really don't agree that it isn't a physical challenge, even for those of us who ride bikes pretty regularly. I did the toughest ride of my life on the Festive 500 a couple of years ago. It was only 70-odd km but it was an A to B ride into a pretty much constant headwind that was gusting to 40-50mph. It was snowing when I set off, then sleeting for a good half an hour as I made my way over the South Downs and then I was on straight, exposed roads for much of the rest of the ride. I was completely exhausted when I got home. I've ridden more than twice the distance and elevation I did that day before without feeling half as tired. And then I got up and at 5am the next day and did another 100-odd km in the dark and pissing rain so that I was back home to have breakfast with my kids.
I get that it's not your thing and that you wouldn't find it tough, but please stop looking down your nose that those of us that do.
I’m still undecided whether I’m going to do it or not. It’s unlikely that I’ll officially complete the challenge as I did a 161km ride yesterday that a mate was doing for charity which won’t count but has taken it out of my legs a bit.
I managed 60km this morning but it felt like hard work, especially as it was quite windy first thing. I’m fairly sure I’ll complete more than 500km in seven days since I’m almost halfway there already. It’ll just be the wrong seven days.
I managed 60km this morning but it felt like hard work, especially as it was quite windy first thing. I’m fairly sure I’ll complete more than 500km in seven days since I’m almost halfway there already. It’ll just be the wrong seven days.
I was going to sack it off yesterday as I’ve got saddle sores and didn’t really have any motivation to ride. But got my arse in gear and did an hour group ride followed by a hounds and hares race on Zwift. I’m just over 260km in now and have agreed to do a 100km ride on Wednesday with a mate so only need to do 40-50km on the remaining days to bag it.
That doesn’t feel too onerous so I expect I’ll finish it now.
That doesn’t feel too onerous so I expect I’ll finish it now.
frisbee said:
All I can say about 500km indoors on a trainer (plus a few hundred km over the few days before) is, my arse!
Yep. My taint is in bits. Thankfully only 32km to do tomorrow and I think I’ll go out and do it. Can’t face another session indoors. Then I’m going to run for most of January to give my undercarriage some much-needed recovery time.
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