Rapha Festive 500 Challenge.

Planet X

Anybody entered this?

Strava.

Have entered, weather dependant (as long as it's not raging gales etc) I'll give it a crack.

500k. Start 24th. December.
End 31st. December.
8 days.

P_1

I'm in for it. Will be the longest I've ever cycled in a week mind

RobertFoster

I managed a whole 45km for the 2015 challenge. I'll try again this year, hopefully I can beat last year's effort

dragratchet

ive got about 750km to go to make the 10k mark by the end of the month so ill be giving the k's some welly, not the best weather for it at the mo.

DanDublin1982

Entered but not expecting to get to 500 tbh.

daragh_

Good luck all. I would be divorced if I attempted this.

Need a week off the bike doing nothing. I can't even look at the Turbo and my commute this week has been a chore. dragratchet tearing the legs off me last Saturday didn't help.

P_1

Just an idea for those who are doing this. I'm sure most here are aware of the SSF? How about we donate ten cent for every KM we manage over this. For example, manage the full 500km, donate €50, manage 100km, donate €10 and so on?

Planet X

Was hoping to get a run in on 24th. to start but the lads over in weather are now predicting storms over that period.
Not good at all.

P_1

Planet X wrote: »

Was hoping to get a run in on 24th. to start but the lads over in weather are now predicting storms over that period.
Not good at all.

Well that's not ideal. I'm meant to be going out to the folks with a bit of a detour through NCD

fat bloke

P_1 wrote: »

Just an idea for those who are doing this. I'm sure most here are aware of the SSF? How about we donate ten cent for every KM we manage over this. For example, manage the full 500km, donate €50, manage 100km, donate €10 and so on?

Reverse that for added incentive. Donate 10 cent for every km short of 500 you are...

Steve SilverMint

Good luck with that lads

It would be difficult enough to do that challenge under normal circumstances, but trying to do it over the the Christmas period would be impossible for most.

tuxy

It can be done on zwift right?
Mind numbing but safe.

nilhg

tuxy wrote: »

It can be done on zwift right?
Mind numbing but safe.

No, trainer/virtual rides don't count, you've got to get out in the great outdoors to do this one

Wishbone Ash

daragh_ wrote: »

Good luck all. I would be divorced if I attempted this.....

Same here! As well as Christmas, I have my daughter's birthday and our wedding anniversary within the challenge time frame (...and 5 days at work).

Steve SilverMint wrote: »

....It would be difficult enough to do that challenge under normal circumstances, but trying to do it over the the Christmas period would be impossible for most.

I'd disagree. Many people don't have to go to work during that period and will be bored stiff hanging around watching TV and eating crap.

P_1

Our before it begins. Broken thumb. No bike for at least a month

OleRodrigo

I'm in

Arthurdaly

I'm in, its the only proper challenge Strava run and a lot depends on your circumstances. In this country it can be a lottery with the weather but it doesn't look too bad at the moment, definitely preferable to spending days on a couch watching TV.

dahat

Joined, not a hope of completing it tbh but I'll get 250k in I'd say.

Planet X

Tray of flapjacks in the oven just now.
In the morning either a 120 to Allenwood or a 150 to Monasterevin.
Ah......the best laid plans etc.....
Wind easing a bit, no, not me.

wanderer 22

I'm in. Will be a miracle if I complete given my lack of bike hours this year- planning a similar direction to you tomorrow planet x,might see you on the road!

nilhg

I'll make a start in the morning and see how it goes..

Planet X wrote: »

Tray of flapjacks in the oven just now.
In the morning either a 120 to Allenwood or a 150 to Monasterevin.
Ah......the best laid plans etc.....
Wind easing a bit, no, not me.

colm18 wrote: »

I'm in. Will be a miracle if I complete given my lack of bike hours this year- planning a similar direction to you tomorrow planet x,might see you on the road!

A few of us from the club in Kildare doing an extended coffee spin in the morning, will be coming back from the Stradbally/Portlaoise direction through Monasterevin, I'll keep an eye out for you lads.

fondriest

I'll give it a go .

devonp

day 1
https://www.strava.com/activities/810254186

nilhg

Ok, day 1 for me, https://www.strava.com/activities/810231416


But really you have to look at the two Aussies who have it completed already, by riding laps of a 1.4km crit loop...

https://www.strava.com/activities/809962272/overview

Zwift would probably be less boring than that...

Eamonnator

I don't do Strava, but going to try for the 500.
I did 60k this morning, and going to try for another 60 tomorrow morning, then 90 on Monday and take it from there..

Planet X

115k down around Kildare,
https://www.strava.com/activities/810330800

Not much respite from the wind except coming down from Saggart, through Tallaght and in to Walkinstown, ....wind tunnel, superb. Big ringer.

Had loaded a 150 to Monasterevin but pulled the plug thinking that I'd get caught out with sundown, even with the "There's a grand stretch in da evenins"

Santa has my B & M front light in his sack. My new dyno wheel has been sitting in the garage for weeks now.

Nice day for it. Dry and a bit of sun.

Beer!!!!

wanderer 22

60k this afternoon..easing myself in :-P https://www.strava.com/activities/810339484

RobertFoster

RobertFoster wrote: »

I managed a whole 45km for the 2015 challenge. I'll try again this year, hopefully I can beat last year's effort

97km this morning. Suck it last year me!

DanDublin1982

Managed a mere 40 km and should manage similar tomorrow morning. Will try for a bigger spin on Monday and Tuesday then its back to work on Wednesday. Id usually drive in for the days between christmas and new years but gonna stick to the bike this year. Would be fairly chuffed to hit between 350 & 400 in total.

JOHN_70

90K here...good first day...

devonp

day 2 , 73Km,
sailed into the PP where i thought i'd do a handy few laps, that notion was well and truly banished after my first pass through the chesterfield wind tunnel
very bloweee out there
time for dinner..:)

dahat

dahat wrote: »

Joined, not a hope of completing it tbh but I'll get 250k in I'd say.

2 days in, nothing done but got the go ahead from the Mrs to do 500k in 5 days without threat of divorce!!

Starting tomorrow with club spin, likely 110km then 8am starts each day. Such an undertaking should result is the Xmas excess being burned off and a little extra as well hopefully...

sann

Day 1 . 109k. Nice conditions. New set of Zondas so I had an extra bit of motivation to get out on the bike.

Day 2. 102k. Horrible. Headwind every way I turned and wasn't feeling 2 fresh from previous day.
Will probably pull it back a bit tomorrow but well on track thankfully!!

wanderer 22

Slow & hilly 65k on the cx bike today; lovely day for a spin but I was close to bonking on kilmashogue :-o
https://www.strava.com/activities/811816545

sann

Nothing today. Too much other stuff on. Conditions were perfect. Legs needed a rest anyway. Back to it tomorrow.

Planet X

Just got in before the sun dipped, 153k down to Monasterevin and back.
Gorgeous day for it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/811953025

Too much "backlaneing" for my liking. though nice and quaint it's hard enough.

devonp

day 3, around the bay, 103Km, urban cycling=too many traffic lights....

nilhg

Had to be home before lunchtime so today's spin was a 95km loop down to the South of Kildare.

https://www.strava.com/activities/811732198

Hopefully I'll be less confined for time tomorrow so might get a bit over the halfway mark, depending on how early I can get out if there's frost

easygoing39

I dont know,but the wind since Xmas Eve has been a bastad.In other years I had to work the 27th Dec,so had 450km in the bank after the 1st 3 days.This year I'm at 130km and its all because mentally the strong winds have me head wreacked!!! Hoping for less wind for the week ahead so I can get to 500km.

dahat

118k done today...Jumped on the Carrick Wheelers spin right at the end as they went past us and a bit of stupidity nearly brought me down though happy I was able to jump across here n there at pace.

All set for another 100k tomorrow with a club spin for Wednesday so giving myself every chance of getting the 500k in on time.

wanderer 22

Another 65k spin today ; 308 needed in 4 days...

Planet X

Well done.
Getting out tomorrow for, hopefully a ton+.
Spent the morning wiring up my front and rear dynamo lights........and fighting a slight hangover

wanderer 22

I have to get a 100km in tomorrow or its not going to happen :-p

nilhg

141km through Kildare, Offaly and Laois today, the first 50km or so were as cold as I've been on the bike for a long time, just couldn't seem to get or stay warm, made a pit stop in Mountrath for a big bowl of soup and a mug of hot coffee and that seemed to do the trick, felt a bit better after that, the idea of making a run for home that had been forming in the back of my head receded and I completed the intended route. Found it a hard day though, worse than the stats would suggest, hopefully I'm not cooking some sort of bug, time will tell I suppose.

https://www.strava.com/activities/812822100

Started the day with 179km done in round figures, after today I've 179km to do to finish, so not a bad days work.

Got over 11K for the year today too and 98,000M climbing, it'll be tempting to try and get a day in the hills to round that out before the weekend, will have to wait and see how the body and legs are first though.

dahat

Day 2 for me....

Out early doors and noticed I have a saggy chain in 34 11 and with my LBS closed I'm in two minds as to wether I can continue on the winter bike.

102km done on a spin to Tipp Town and back via Cahir with a trip to Kilsheelan to extend the Kms, average of 29.43km which was a little to quick tbh giving that I have another 280km to do.

Hauki

I had high hopes for this challenge as I had literally nothing planned for the week. I figured that this would make good warm-up for the upcoming 2 weeks that I'll be spending cycling in Tenerife. But no, flu and fever settled in as soon as I got off from work on Friday and there's no end in sight for this

nilhg

94km with 3 lads from the club this morning leaves me with 85 to go, sooner it's done the better, legs starting to feel it, especially trying to keep up with fresh lads.

https://www.strava.com/activities/813697876

Planet X

151k today...up NCD for a change, nice peachy roads compared to the back lanes I was on in Kildare.
"Yizzer have it easy up there"

https://www.strava.com/activities/813845498

All solo rides

About 80k left. 420 ridden.

Playing a Christmas Squash Tournament starting Friday 3:30, Old Belvedere. Could be tight!

devonp

day 5, 86Km today (tired) after a rest day y'day
might try PlanetX's route to knock it on the head with something a bit flatter but want to avoid R roads if possible...on we pedal(hopefully)

Planet X

Yeah.....I did a massive 382m elevation gain today in 152K.

dahat

Out today and another 106km to add to the total.

3 of us on a club spin and did the last 35km solo, legs feel surprisingly good given 3 consecutive days of 100km plus spins, 327km done at this point.

I am going to try get a 120km spin tomorrow to make the last leg on Friday a gentle coffee spin.

Roll on tomorrow...