The Rapha Festive 500

That was fucking miserable, there’s nothing out there except a hurricane. 412kms done.

I need 76.7 miles for my, nominal target of 25,000 Kms for the year.

It feels like long fucking way off right now.

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100 miles left.

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Had a real mixed bag yesterday so taking today to recover, hoping for fairer sailing tomorrow. Had 55km of spring like sunshine, then final 20km of ascending into a headwind with torrential rain which very much killed my spirit. Up to 300km total though

The wind sapped any joy out of today for me. Only 100 miles left though.

Going for a pint and I’ll take it easy tomorrow

Don’t think there’s been a wetter 500 in London, ready for another plodding 3 hours tomorrow. Better than having my bidon freeze I guess.

The weather is getting very hot the next few days and it's gonna be mornings or evenings only. The whole time my knee fucking hates me and is on the verge of exploding. Forced myself to do a Norton summit today. 120k to go.

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Another day, another hurricane, with added rain this time. I should/will Crawl across the line tomorrow. 475ks done.

61kms to do tomorrow for a total of 25,000 kms for the year.

Did another stint in the evening. 90 to go.

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mainly on the glorious dual carriageways that define the western edge of London.

So how's the Westive 500 going?

Finished with a very wet 200km. Glad the job is done.

Currently refuelling with a presumptive celebratory hot chocolate and slab of moist Banana Bread at Artefood, Windsor.
23m needed for completion, and the direct route home, Windsor, Datchet, Wraysbury, Staines,
then up past Heathrow & through Stockley Park on prime dual carriageways to TGtiR is only 20.
A loop up the A30 from Staines will resolve the missing 3m.

Considerably warmer than last year.

Well done to finishers. Pascalo your pictures have been great.

Reminder that if you do this subcontinent it has to be done in won ride
TIA

Managed to crank out 135km today leaving me 63 to complete the job.

Headwind on the way home with 40mph gusts was a bit precarious

Glad you enjoyed the pics @Squaredisk.

I know it's not the same hardman stuff like riding through winter, and this year had been pretty favourable temperature wise because we're in la Nina, but usually this time of the year you get 37+ degrees and an angry ball in the sky, so a walk in the park it is not.
This year we had a few days of consistent 40k winds that made staying upright challenging.
Plus I'm super unfit and haven't ridden 100k rides in a while. Going from 2 small rides a week to riding every day is a steep ramp up, so really feeling it right now.

Just home:

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Top work. Personally I’d take cold and dry over wet and miserable but I quite enjoy both :-)

70k of lumpy gravel done. 25k to go

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I’m done, last 3 days have been totally shit.

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Hopefully not too many new tiles 😉

Done. Great flat Essex ride today and the first one of the 500 that wasn’t solo.

Found the mild temperatures this year made it a lot less gruelling than last years black ice dodging

Done!!!!! with a big ride to Windsor and return after meeting up with my nephew in Regent's Park. Today was the longest of the 5 undertaken. I'm pleased and happy to have got this completed again.

Done. Easy 30k at 6.30am to finish it off. 40 ish degs later today so glad I got it out of the way while I didn't melt my tyres.

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Finishing this morning in Regents Park and as I turned onto York Bridge for a victory lap of the Inner Circle I see a police van stopped in the park itself and cops just getting out and pointing at something floating in the water in the pond.

Which was very definitely a body. :(

By the time I'd come back round there were ambulances and incident reponse vehicles and blue and white tape across the park entrance on that side of the bridge.

Fark :(