The Rapha Festive 500

Dec 24 109k
Dec 25 79k
Dec 27 88k (hard won)

Yeah, below freezing for the duration.
Treacherous hilly polished ice roads, yip.
Snow, oh yeah. Sleet, for sure.
Sphincter clenched for 78.3% of the day, uh huh.

I'm heading for the coast tomorrow, last time I'm doing this. (Probably not)
Success last year with unseasonably good weather (rain for 6 days)

It's just too ropey in the west of Scotland.
If it doesn't buck up I'm flouncing, probably not.

I'm taking a hip flask tomorrow, fuck it.

west of scotland here too - might just go do some boring ass A80 laps tomorrow. riding on main roads is pish but it's just too sketchy to leave them when it's 2 degrees or less, and freezing overnight

Need a pal?🤣

Stung by the aspersions cast on my cycling prowess recently I made a Herculean effort today and ground out 19km, which luckily was really good fun.

Only 78km today as I had to get back for dog walking duties.
Still have 309km to do over the next 4 days which is starting to look tough

Fun thread >>>>>>

I'm taking a hip flask tomorrow, fuck it.

Love your work, love the energy

I know Zwift km's are lame to count towards the F500 but fuck it. Was still hard.

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Big effort, well done

Try wrapping in cling film under sock.

Yeah, I can't ride super long ... 4-5hrs is my absolute limit before the hip complaints kick in well and proper.

This week I managed to rack up 883 TSS, which is pretty solid by my standards. Feeling it.

That actually IS suffering. Chapeau.

Fucked it today, left after midday, was over an hour behind estimated finish time, got lost in the country, feet got so cold I struggled to pedal, it got dark, my garmin ran out of battery, I had to take the main roads over the hills instead on the flat tunnels through them.
It hurt, it really really hurt. Was supposed to be an easy-ish flat spin with some fun gravel sections. Errors were made. (73kms 7 of which were the hardest but I think I lost them and therefore won't count).

Grand Total so far of 220 off-road-ish kms.

Some highlights though:

Chain snapped on day two for me, just as I was starting a climb and I took a bit of a hit to my left side. Haven't made it out the past two days as a result, 500k looking far off considering my replacement chain didn't arrive today as it should've.

However, nice to see lots of riders getting out in the sunshine

Treacherous hilly polished ice roads, yip.

Nothing much phases me on the roads but black ice can get fucked. I'd do it all off road I think, if breaking my body for the start of the year was seriously on the cards.

I wish I could average 36kph off 178W.

My 12hr PB would be more like 400mi. :P

I took sandwich bags on TABR.

Reminds me. I need more sandwich bags...

Aye, in retrospect it was a silly choice. I was lucky to get away with it. I nearly came a cropper several times, no front brake action at all and lots of snow in my brake calipers rubbing on the rim did me a favour slowing me down.

I'll be erring on the side of caution for the rest.

Agree, nothing unsettles me more than icey roads on a bike.

Chances of black ice in Kent tomorrow? Didn't head out that way today but seen lots of pictures of flooded roads (in Surrey + Hertfordshire, but still) and temps dipping below freezing tonight.

I came a cropper in Jan this year and really don't want a repeat tomorrow. Current thoughts are head in to Regents like ever other fucker but would really rather avoid.

Everyone has their own risk level but I think icy roads for a challenge no one except our/yourself gives a fuck about is a step too far for me.

I used to do that. Grim.
Then I'd ride out the other end of the commute to hillingdon and do laps. Grim.

Both are better options than having to wipe your arse left-handed because you've got a broken collarbone.

What happened to "don't lean"? I thought that was accepted forum wisdom from a few years back that dealt with all problems ice and snow?

I thought that was diet advice. It's why I've stayed fat all these years.

My brother broke his collar bone because of black ice in 17’ or 18’ R500 so yeah...

Careful out there...

I keep chipping away at it. 350 done.

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