The Rapha Festive 500

I need to do ~450km tomorrow if I'm going to make it this year.

12 hours, leaving plenty of time for dancing in the evening.

Another good day today - 56.7 miles (and 4621ft) in Yorkshire including Cragg Vale.

Unfortunately, my phone crashed before the end of the ride so I've 'lost' 23.1 miles as Strava won't count manual entries. Bugger.

If Android, choose Flightmode and it will last 4ever running Strava.

Unfortunately, my phone crashed before the end of the ride so I've 'lost' 23.1 miles as Strava won't count manual entries. Bugger.

Strava has been really glitchy for me here in Norfolk on iPhone.

Ive lost around 80-90km - ended up taking pics instead :/

Does it tell you the total number of people who've taken the challenge?

I'm doing the ridewithgps challenge and know there's surely much less numbers but just wondered how much.

Out. Didn't even bring a bike. Have already eaten my chocolate orange and read my new books. I'm quite glad about it all, really.

Does it tell you the total number of people who've taken the challenge?

I'm doing the ridewithgps challenge and know there's surely much less numbers but just wondered how much.

14K something has pushed on Join, dunno how many is actually doing it and what doing it means...

12 hours, leaving plenty of time for dancing in the evening.

Damn straight. I'm going to ride 225km straight up, that way it'll be downhill all the way home.

14K something has pushed on Join, dunno how many is actually doing it and what doing it means...

Cheers, woah 14k is shitloads more. There's only 373 in the rwgps one, which runs from 14th to 1st and is based on trying to cycle 10,20 or 35 hours and it keeps a record of your miles.

So it seems I've greatly increase my chance of prizes, but for the fact they have'nt given any indication of what the prizes are and how they will be dished out. It'll probably be a bag of crisps, that they won't ship to the UK.

So I'm not very hopeful of a new wheelset, cassette, chain and cables that I've almost ground to dust during the end of days weather during the course of the challenge. I'm doing the 35 hour one, and though I was'nt the first to get there I'm currently leading with 59 hours and 907 miles so if I don't get at least a badge, by god I'll be forced to write a strongly worded letter or get a life or something.

14K something has pushed on Join, dunno how many is actually doing it and what doing it means...

14,708 participants

Leaderboard says x out of 10,884 so presumably 4000 haven't submitted rides yet?

1712 in the UK

Damn straight. I'm going to ride 225km straight up, that way it'll be downhill all the way home.

Why didn't I think of that?! Regents is uphill on one side and headwind on the other. I've been going backwards all this time.

Finally got back to london yesterday. So put the mudguards back on the bike and got the shoe covers.
Todays miles were pleasant.
Not like the others I've done.

Racing tomorrow, will knock out some miles after. Then an 90 on monday should see me on 500.

Neil your CTL must be taking a steep ramp up, with this extra milage your doing.

87.1 from 52.3 at the start of the month.

Why didn't I think of that?! Regents is uphill on one side and headwind on the other. I've been going backwards all this time.

It's all about the marginal gains, like going downhill with a tailwind all the time. That's just science.

Too easy 117km today with this weather
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1068080

Try a flatter route?

that did cross my mind so headed down to the coast perfectly flat route for a nice 30 miles or so, unfortunately the ridiculous gale force winds coming of the sea made the ride impossible, couples with nearly getting blown of my bike a couple of times (85kg with bike) put that to bed!

attention grab

My girlfriend lives in Alresford, and if she allows me to bring the bike down next week, I think I'm going to have to steal one one of your recent garmin routes and check out what all the fuss is about!

(...and learn it from google maps...)

Smashed on wine and rum tonight but only 176km to go. Sorely tempted to bash it out in two days and spend NYE sleeping/drinking/basking in glory/taunting my sister. Probably won't though. The idea of 60km a day really appeals.

done 235k.

will crack on with the rest before and after new year.

have a good one.

Had 80 miles planned today and 50 tomorrow morning to get it in the bag by tomorrow lunchtime (when riding time for the year runs out).

Heavy rain here forecast to last until 3pm, 25mph wind gusting to 40.

Went back to bed, fuck that.

~400 Km done (398.2 if you must know).

Today was notable for a couple of things- I've been suffering from bad lower back pain for the past couple of weeks, which coincides with my sudden increase in mileage.

I've been doing lots of stretches in the evenings to try to combat this, which really wasn't doing anything.

So, this morning I dropped the seatpost 5mm and a lot of the pain went away, although I did feel a bit like John Wayne for the first ten miles.

This meant that I was much less fatigued past 30 miles, and surprised myself on one hill (which I had been changing down and spinning up) by digging deep and giving it 700 watts to the top.

Much more fun.

However, the final 30 minutes of the ride were in such relentless howling wind and driving rain that those miles will stay in my memory for a while.

Still, at home and warm now, and one ride away from finishing the challenge- although I have 130 miles left to hit 5,000 for the year.

I had an incredibly wet 108 km today (another day fixed) so that's the total up to 393 km.

Still having technical difficulties so it's only showing as 305 km on Strava. I do have photographs and a neglected girlfriend so hopefully they'll count as evidence.

Nice Dammit,

Went out, saw the wind blowing harder than a whore on payday and decided to make today a rest day.

100km to go

After a couple of days of family commitments managed to get out and do 50 miles today. Obligatory soaking in the last 15 miles as expected but the head wind all the way home was a bit grim.

145km in total so far (fixed), so not going to make the full amount but hopefully will hit 200km by the end.

Good day out today.
65 mixed miles.
I love my bike.

^ and a win I hear. Well done.

Why thank you.