The Rapha Festive 500

184cm, legs, no torso, long arms

Nearly....

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Uck, I'm on 318k after today's effort. On the plus side; it was totally worth descending into Tintern Abbey at 4:30pm, freezing my balls off, with the mist rolling it's way through the valley in front of a lush pink/amber sunset (and then riding back to Bristol in the dark).
Still, I'm not sure I'm going to finish
#FestiveForgotWhyIStarted

Scary out there this morning, ice just randomly appearing and disappearing without any warning.

92 KM to go, I was hoping to get it done before Saturday but that's not going to happen now.

Regents Park almost to myself this morning. Only a few skids on the ice kept it interesting.

I wasn't planning to do this again but now that I'm 95km to go, wondering if I can just crank it out tonight after work.

95km after work!, respect for even thinking about it

All aspiration - at about 3.30pm I'll probably bottle it and ride the long way home (about half that)!

Went out to compete this morning. Got about 6 miles in and came to a very frosty junction so took it really steady. 16,000ft of climbing all on fixed gear and just 68km to go and I found myself in a heap on the floor. I'm out of time to wait for the frost to thaw out as the girlfriend is getting on the train out here in a few hours and the (climbing and) descending planned for today just wouldn't be sensible with ice on the roads. Bummed out. Had some fantastic days of cycling though. Stay safe everyone!

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Day #6

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Fin

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Due to a lack of cycling over Christmas, I won't be finishing the 500 this year. I did keep a friend company yesterday, who is going to hit the 500km mark easily, and did what he described as a 'cheeky century' - imperial not metric. It turned out not the be the best day for me - said friend is currently enjoying a period of funemployment and has been training 3 times a week with one of the local semi-pros, so is currently making butchers' dogs look at him admiringly. I also had two punctures, during the first of which I lost my case with all my essential bits and pieces in it, including my house keys.

After that I was totally knackered, so I've said sod it, and rather than trying to put in big miles today I've gone to the velodrome to smash it up for a couple of hours.

I have done the grand total of 51.499 kms so far. Am pleased with that, should be on for a new record.

I have discovered that I hate my feet, and am on 324km. If I can stay upright on the ice tomorrow I might have a chance of finishing it.

109km to go here. 119 planned tomorrow. That'll do it.

Another morning shitting my pants trying to work out if the ground is wet or ice, it was mainly a bit of both. Just 41 km to do now.

I'm having that procrastination right now - is it icy out or not?

Am on 302km so was hoping to do 100k both today and tomorrow. Weather out here in Henley on Thames isn't looking too favourable right now. Not rising ditching on ice just to get a stupid strava badge (and I'm not doing 200km on Saturday....)

Just back from Epping and it was fine. Misty though, so not much to look at.

Every year I think "this is a really stupid idea" and then ride 300km anyway by the 28th and end up feeling I have to do the final 200km, much to the chagrin of my other half and my general wellbeing. But, it's done.

Day #7 51X17

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Got pissed off with sitting about procrastinating and did a turbo. Probably could have gone out fine,but having spilled last winter and writing off a fair bit of time on the bike i don't like risking it now.

Wil still do around 100k tomorrow and end up with a festive 400. Which is pretty frustrating. Ah well.

Done @512 - a bit Hound of the Baskervilles out there today with all that fog. Now to my other festive challenge of finishing off the Xmas booze (there's a lot of it) and binge watching Stranger Things...

Well deserved - the soundtrack alone is worth it.

@Thuekr what kind of average cadence is the result of that gearing out of interest?

My poor feet

Completed but not finished

deep

Lol