The Rapha Festive 500

276km done. Today was hard. Sort of can't be arsed with the rest of it. And I'm working next week. Urgh.

Planning a route on strava with the veloviewer plug brilliant.

I’ve just started tile hunting. Is there a plug-in or something to help map routes?

I know this guy personally, absolute legend in what he does. And a super nice guy!

Im afraid I’m housebound due to lockdown regulations. So I managed 94km on the turbo so far with approx 1600 elevation. Such a shame as today was a fantastic day and the same is forecasted for tomorrow. 100% chance of snow on Monday though!

65km before lunch. Vaguely mild, ice has cleared off, 285 to go.

Out of interest how does the 500k compare to peoples November distance total? For me it's 42% of last month, and that was quite a lot of riding for November.

Wind starting to get up here.

My Nov is probably one of the lowest in years with less than 1000km on the clock so not a good comparison. We did one 200k for RRTY but mostly it was gravel and MTB riding so quite short distances compared to my normal road riding.

There’s as extension for Chrome that works with the Strava route builder. Overlays VV tiles to Strava, and shows you which tiles you would get as you plan your route. Think it’s only in Chrome (and maybe Firefox...)

Nice one. That’ll make things much easier

Smashed out another 15km today, I think I've got this DNF locked in.

I wouldn't even bother to get changed for 15km haha.

30k on zwift again today due to storm bella - wasn't intending to ride today so these are bonus kms. absolutely no idea what I'm doing on zwift tbh... was some rapha festive 500 ride but I just kept on drifting back through the group and holding my own wattage... am I supposed to try 'riding in a group' by 'chasing down wheels'? it's kinda hard to know if I'm going to maintain a draft when I can't see the w/kg or wattage of the person I'm supposed to be 'drafting' tbh... makes it tough to know what wattage to hold

will try to ride tomorrow but the forecast is sleet and 0 degrees. rest of the week forecast is hovering around 0 degrees too - after binning it on ice on day 1, I'm not really enthusiastic about that prospect again tbh

I wouldn't even bother to get changed for 15km haha.

Moving time was an hour and ten minutes, I had waterproof overshoes, waterproof trousers, OG winter jersey and RCC brevet gilet. Oh, and some Fox gloves. Felt about right tbh, and the piece of cake was nice.

Excellent average speed! Well, at least you tried right? And enjoyed cake for that matter!

Smashed out another 15km today, I think I've got this DNF locked in.

You and me both. 0km on Christmas Even (OK, I did some Zwifting but in my book that doesn't count), 26km yesterday, 31km (and a puncture) today being knocked around by the beginnings of Storm Bella around the Fens. And my knee's grumbling due to the 4.5 mile to my father's house yesterday for a socially-distanced Christmas Day lunch followed by a 4.5 mile walk back again.

Sounds like a pretty reasonable average speed for MTBing through winter slop.

Sometimes an easy 15km is the right thing to do (according to bro science) if you just need a rest, to allow the body to promote cake fibres.

I have something similar planned for tomorrow.

I'm lingering on 189km and after being out in the cold all day yesterday and no riding today, I seem to have a bit of a sore knee. Do I go out this evening for a no bike clothes, Dammit-spec 11km just to loosen it up, round up to 200km and make myself feel better about drinking a beer later?

I'm doing it all brakeless fixed by the way, because a) some of us still care about track bikes b) it's the year of the track bike c) whatever Amey says as an abusive response to this message

Would have been a good day to cycle to Norwich.
Another 50-odd miles round the deserted dual carriageways near Heathrow.
Almost halfway to that 500km.

Yes. But keep your knees wrapped up warm.

Good call. Why don't I own knee warmers! There's my problem.

Yeah try this post for the details of what to do

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/322846/?offset=100#comment15385384

I fully endorse this

Drink a beer beforehand then the 200km will feel like 11km...

Currently scores on the doors for me is mince pies 2 - festive 500 0km.

Very handy