2017 Rapha Festive 500

[huck*this]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

we're in a real cold snap here in ny. i wouldnt even consider riding outdoors now, my knees would revolt.

Same here in Connecticut. The roads are too icey, narrow due to snow and dangerous. But Rapha did say that trainer/turbo miles count but I just can't do it.

[silentlight0]

does anyone know if zwift miles count? i'm halfway done but would like it if i could mix up the miles a bit.

[velofinds]

It "counts" but there should be an asterisk IMO

[benb]

I did a little bit of it in the last couple years.. couldn't have actually "completed it" without taking a week of vacation though.

And with our weather this year forget about it... way too cold.

Even if the weather was more mild riding in the snow & road salt and such gets pretty expensive.

The winter I really participated in the 500 I did a 65 mile ride at about 25F on the day after a snowstorm.

It was pretty much impossible to clean all that road salt out of the bike and I ended up having to replace a lot of stuff in the spring.

I suppose I could have brought the bike into the bathtub but my wife would not have appreciated that.

In the end I guess that's what I think of the 500... it's a nice thing to do if you don't have much family/friends/work expecting you to spend any time with them at this time of year, for the rest of us it's pretty badly timed.

I spent so much money on maintenance/parts from riding through the winter the last 2-3 years this winter I'm pretty much trying to completely avoid riding outside in the winter and concentrate on indoor cross training + trainer time instead.

I don't exactly have the time to spend on all that extra maintenance either, and it is totally unpleasant to do it anyway in my unheated garage in the winter. I did just get a space heater for the garage but that doesn't really help that much.

[dbnm]

Just got home...
104km
10686 meters of climbing

Now 322/500

[makoti]

Originally Posted by velofinds

It "counts" but there should be an asterisk IMO

*this fool just rode 300 miles in 8 days on a bike bolted to a trainer in their basement while staring at their computer. they cray cray.

[Macadamia]

bit over 200k left, old fit issues have returned with these +4 hour rides, not the week to be ordering parts to try to alleviate it!

[velofinds]

Originally Posted by Macadamia

bit over 200k left, old fit issues have returned with these +4 hour rides, not the week to be ordering parts to try to alleviate it!

True, but rationalizing those purchases has never been easier

[cow]

Due to traveling, moving, working, & inclement weather, I will very likely end the Festive 500 with zero rides making it the longest I've gone without riding (eight days) in three years.

I'm jonesing to get outside.

[merckxman]

It's just been too FREAKING COLD!

[dbnm]

I have 117 left. I will be doing about 90 or so today.

Will finish tomorrow morning with a celebratory donut.

[dbnm]

I just finished!

I rode 125km today to complete it.

A total of 508.

Quite proud of myself.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by dbnm

I just finished!

I rode 125km today to complete it.

A total of 508.

Quite proud of myself.

Nice Job!

[velofinds]

I just rolled across the virtual finish line with 503km (sorry- 312mi because #imperialsystem) in the books. I saw some interesting things.. rode in some interesting places.. and yes, suffered a bit. Much of it was done under the cover of darkness which was unpleasant at best and crappy at worst. I'm enormously grateful for not having any mechanicals (which would have surely knocked the proverbial wind out of my sails), the weather for holding up (bitterly cold, yes, but mostly dry up until very recently), and my wife and kids for indulging me this nutty and borderline antisocial behavior.

[dbnm]

Congrats!
My wife thought I was crazy too. As did the in-laws.

But it feels like a really nice accomplishment.

I am thinking of self-imposing another ride like this over the summer.