The Rapha Festive 500

I’m done, first 2/3 was fun, cargo bike miles, new roads near the new forest. Final 1/3 was just a grind in bad weather and a cold.

My riding for the year is done too, end up on 14648 miles. 40 miles a day average, which became the goal.

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If you've already got decent winter shoes and they're roomy enough, the reason might be somewhere else. Keep your thighs, head etc. warm too so your body has enough heat left to keep the feet warm.

Sounds like a big off.

Gws to that dude.

great pictures.

Got all prepped and ready to leave at 7am this morning, almost slipped on black ice outside my house!
Went back to bed. It's not worth breaking a bone over, everywhere is slick here.

Seriously impressive.

I’ve done ~180km over the last three days on zwift, taking my total to 462km. Might bust out the slow bike and a flask of tea to savour the last bit.

Today: just going with thinner merino socks to give toes more room, with overshoes. That's about the only thing I haven't tried yet apart from nuclear option of heated pad/insoles. Reverse psychology of the toes. Let's see if it works, or my right toes become non-responsive icepops again after an hour...

well done to all those who have finished already.

I’ve been using toe covers for a non space intrusive option
https://www.rapha.cc/GB/en/shop/rapha-toe-cover/product/TCU01XXBLKSSM
Followed by oversocks or overshoes over the whole lot. It helps but I still get terribly cold toes anything under about 8 degrees.

Don’t forget the vents on the bottom of your shoes (if you have them) - Mine are covered in duct tape.

I'm a bit late to the party but have just completed my "Not-Rapha Festive 500, as I can't/couldn't be arsed to register etc.

24th - 99.0km
25th - 100.5
26th - 99.7
28th - 30.5
29th - 110.1
30th - 63.9

Thanks to @mespilus for company on some of the days

Dec 24: 88
Dec 25: 76
Dec 26: 82
Dec 27: 82
Dec 28: 39
Dec 29: 78
Dec 30: 91 and done.
@NorthLondonLight dragged me round Richmond Park today to top up his F500.

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Dec 24: 154k
Dec 25: 76k
Dec 26: 43k
Dec 27: 107k
Dec 28: 103k
Dec 29: 63k gravel + some other bits and bobs on the SS
Dec 30: 95k bailed on what we had planned because I flatted, the spare had a hole in it and some cunt left the patch kit at home

So, we're both done. But also, fucking glass, you're an arsehole.

All done for me.

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Good call. I do have vents, but they are always a bit gummed up with mud, will try to tape. Toe update is that more space in shoe seemed to work better today. Just tomorrow to finish 50 miles off. There was ice everywhere today. Well done @Ducky🦆 @mespilus @NorthLondonLight @Hippy and the missus.

Finished it off today with 100k (inc 85k around Regents Park). All outside.

Not going long on the 24th made the last few days pretty tough. Good to have something making me ride, though. I’ll be starting January in a completely different position to last year, which bodes well for riding in the summer.

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I’ve got 45 to do tomorrow to finish and I seriously need to go saddle shopping. My saddle sores have got saddle sores

I’ve tasted the SMP life and it wasn’t for me

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thats the wrong angle

I am loving this at the moment:

Excellent news well done!!

I had the torso meets the thigh crevice friction in the rain Sunday :-(
Nappy cream to the rescue.

Really easy 54km chatting with a mate around Regent’s Park today followed by coffee and a pastry. Just 53km required tomorrow. Epping is saying it’ll be in minus numbers all morning so going to wait until midday for a loop and pray for no ice

Fizik Antares?