Rapha Festive 500. Anyone doing it?

[Supersuperleeds]

Still chipping away. 140km to go. Not got wet the last two days but longest ride has only been 90.km. Christmas cake sized dollops

Compared to the riding you've done this year, 140km over two days should be a doddle for you.

 

[Pale Rider]

Compared to the riding you've done this year, 140km over two days should be a doddle for you.

Absolutely, @Cranky Knee Girl could wipe up most of us when it comes to banging out distance.

 

[Fiona R]

Compared to the riding you've done this year, 140km over two days should be a doddle for you.

It wasn't a doddle but it's done. Cracking day.

Absolutely, @Cranky Knee Girl could wipe up most of us when it comes to banging out distance.

My only talent is I'm quite good at not giving up/getting there eventually. I seem to know people who don't ride for 6 months and bang out a 200 complaining they are the fattest/unfittest they have ever been and still are far slimmer/far faster when I have tried pretty hard this year! Then there are all those that did the challenge all in one go on Saturday, and added over 10% riding to/fro as well!

 

[Fiona R]

Doable if you have the free time, weather looks ok for next couple of days.

Weather was supposed to be stunning, I managed to stay in fog for most of it when all around was lovely, and worrying about being too hot turned into figgy freezing!

 

[Pale Rider]

It wasn't a doddle but it's done. Cracking day.

My only talent is I'm quite good at not giving up/getting there eventually. I seem to know people who don't ride for 6 months and bang out a 200 complaining they are the fattest/unfittest they have ever been and still are far slimmer/far faster when I have tried pretty hard this year! Then there are all those that did the challenge all in one go on Saturday, and added over 10% riding to/fro as well!

Not giving up is all the talent you need.

I suppose we all judge ourselves by our peers.

You seem to know some very committed cyclists.

The wider public would have trouble even understanding how anyone could do the miles on a bike you do.

I recall talking to some shoppers outside Tesco in Goole during a break on a CC York/Humber Bridge forum ride.

You could see the bafflement on their faces as we explained we were part way through a 105 mile loop.

 

[Fiona R]

Not giving up is all the talent you need.

I suppose we all judge ourselves by our peers.

You seem to know some very committed cyclists.

The wider public would have trouble even understanding how anyone could do the miles on a bike you do.

I recall talking to some shoppers outside Tesco in Goole during a break on a CC York/Humber Bridge forum ride.

You could see the bafflement on their faces as we explained we were part way through a 105 mile loop.

It's colleagues who think I'm a basket case for commuting 5 miles each way, in the dark in winter too. You have to be careful who knows really what you get up to in spare time, otherwise you get categorised

 

[Soltydog]

You could see the bafflement on their faces as we explained we were part way through a 105 mile loop.

Similar to the Fridays ride from York a couple of years ago, "You doing it for a charity?" reply "No, just for fun" the average Joe public can't get it
ps I didn't like to mention that I'd already done 70 miles cycling to get there

 

[13 rider]

Just 17 km to go tomorrows commute in will take care of that . The last 2 days of 50 mile rides I have found a lot harder than I expected ,today's was my slowest ride for sometime legs really feeling the constant riding and today was day 666 of my run

 

[Pale Rider]

Similar to the Fridays ride from York a couple of years ago, "You doing it for a charity?" reply "No, just for fun" the average Joe public can't get it
ps I didn't like to mention that I'd already done 70 miles cycling to get there

I had something similar when I got lost near Stockton going to my static caravan in North Yorkshire.

For simplicity, I asked a passer-by for directions to the next town - Yarm - about 10 miles away.

"How will you get there, on that?" he said, pointing to my bike.

He may not have realised it was an ebike, but he clearly couldn't grasp how anyone would cycle that distance.

I didn't tell him I'd already done 25 miles to get to Stockton and had another 20 to do after Yarm.

 

[Soltydog]

Just 17 km to go tomorrows commute in will take care of that . The last 2 days of 50 mile rides I have found a lot harder than I expected ,today's was my slowest ride for sometime legs really feeling the constant riding and today was day 666 of my run

I'm certain that you will manage 17km & 666 days , that's one hell of a run,well done
I've had a few rest days this year (5 I think) & I'll probably skip riding NYD then I can't do every day next year & there's no pressure then

Got my festive500 completed today with my commute as expected, wasn't as cold as I expected though so was a little warm on my ride in. I'd been cleaning a few of the fleet this morning & my fingers were really feeling the cold, but must have warmed considerably by the time I rode in, as I certainly didn't need 2 pairs of gloves on

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Just 17 km to go tomorrows commute in will take care of that . The last 2 days of 50 mile rides I have found a lot harder than I expected ,today's was my slowest ride for sometime legs really feeling the constant riding and today was day 666 of my run

You need to have a day off the bike

 

[Pale Rider]

You need to have a day off the bike

Not, of course, that there's any element of competition between you two.

 

[Fiona R]

Today I'm mostly horizontal, haven't gone on club ride nor for the Clevedon Marine Lake swim. still glowing from finishing Festive 500 on Monday with a lovely 146km solo outing into the Mendips fog and Rapha archive at Shepton Mallet. Fortunately it got a bit easier over to Glastonbury and a whizz round Kingston Seymour, a village I visited on nearly every ride last week. Didn't quite make it back by dark when the freezing fog came rolling in but at least I was just left with the well known commute to creep along. 511km I went and got milk and eggs and veg yesterday and rounded up to 5km to make 517km total and 4019m of climbing. quite pleased with myself for not making it too unethically flat....

Usually Festive 500 is impossible, as we're catering for so many as everyone stays/no local family. Was only really Christmas Day catering this year, and only one shift at work for me in the period too, that was fun timing 80km to arrive at work with just enough time to change. OH was working so I could be selfish and do it in a not epic way. Built up a nice combination of short rides, rides with others, one with husband on Saturday and a decent solo day out to finish off. Good to get home and be hungry and allowed to eat the fridge and not feel like a beached whale.

Well done @Supersuperleeds (i'm annoyed you beat me ) and @Soltydog and @13 rider

Anyone else?

 

[AlanW]

Despite me saying every year that lm not doing it ever again, l always end up doing it! Managed to complete it and still have a couple of days spare, which is always good.

But thats it, ive completed it every year since it first started and I'm not doing it again!!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

You can all now register for your swimming badge. There is a link on the Strava challenge page.