We have reached that time of the year again when people are ready to relax and enjoy the festive season. The food has been purchased and the alcohol has already started to be consumed. There is that little niggle in the back of your mind saying that you don't want to over indulge too much but also an overpowering thought to enjoy yourself.
The days will start to roll into one and you won't have a recollection of what day of the week it is, what time shops are open or what you want to do to pass the time of day. Whilst you are all at this stage of the Christmas celebrations I should be putting in some mileage on my trusty steed. I will, of course, be doing the Festive 500 again. This year will mark the 3 year of attempting the challenge and hopefully the third year of completing the challenge too. If you want to read how I have got on in previous years then look up my blogs titled - Rapha Festive 500, Pt1 &Pt2.
The Festive 500 is a cycling challenge. The aim is to complete 500Km ( 310.6 Miles) between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. 8 days to rid 500km. Which is 62.5 Km or 38.8 miles per day. Sounds easy when it's broken down into little chunks. The rules of the challenge are that the miles have to be completed outside on a bike. When I first did this challenge it was in its 10th year or going. If you want a full breakdown of the origins then I would suggest reading another one of my blogs. The first year I finished this challenge and slogged away every day putting the miles in. During both years of doing this challenge I have been working full time and would get the normal amounts of days off in the week, I wouldn't take any additional holiday. My method in the first year was to ride before and after work getting in roughly 25 miles per ride. I do not want to ride on Christmas day so this is why my daily average is higher than it should be. I rode 500km over 7 days.
The second year of completing this challenge the rules for the event changed as the world went through a pandemic when mileage could not be completed outside. This challenge has reached global acclaim and the rules needed to reflect this. In this year I still stuck to my routine of riding before and after work to rack up avgerage miles per day. I found this to be a better way for my body to get through the challenge. Two hours riding on a turbo trainer before work and then an hour turbo after work. Yes, I was still saddle sore but it meant that I spent less time in the saddle overall. It also meant I could keep a higher avg speed as I had no interaction with traffic, I was riding in a simulated environment - Zwift.
This year I am going to use the same tactics of riding before and after work. I feel that a majority of my riding will be done on a turbo trainer. Although I am still going to get outside as there's nothing that beats the wind in your hair.
Well I got this far writing this blog about the third year of the Festive 500. I however, didn't even make the start line of the challenge. It feels like such an anti-climax. A few days before Christmas I came down with tonsilitis and had to get some medication for it. I had a few days of fighting off a fever. It really wiped me out. I know I would have been able to still complete the ride if I threw everything at it. I did still have to think of the consequences on my body by doing so. After writing up about the previous years I had also remembered the level of tiredness I experienced during the previous years when I was still working a full time job. I was already at a disadvantage feeling so drained. I knew this challenge would only deplete me further and leave me more susceptible to another illness or virus.
It was with a heavy heart that I chose not to do this challenge and now that it's nearing the new year I'm glad. I don't think my body would be able to cope with putting the miles in the legs and the early starts to sit on the turbo trainer for a couple hours before starting my day.
I have otherwise been getting out and doing some other little bits and pieces. I have been for a festive dip in the sea recently to quench my outdoor appetite. Some photos and video can be found on my socials. If you want to see what I've been getting up to then follow me on social media.
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