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Ride Rapha Festive 500 2021 - What's your plan this year with ongoing Covid-19 risks/concerns?

TheAussieinJapan

Maximum Pace
Apr 15, 2014
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Hi all,

Just wanted to put this out there for everyone in a season that it's easy to avoid the bike, the elements and the cold hands that come with it.


Started by someone at Rapha, who actually rode 1000km over the 8 days, here's their spiel.
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RAPHA FESTIVE 500​

500 kilometres. Eight days. 24th-31st December. The world's favourite festive cycling challenge is back. Join us for even more miles and memories in our riding rite of passage.

First conceived on the snowy roads of Kent in Southern England, the Festive 500 started out as one man's personal battle against the elements. But in the 12 years since it has grown to become a riding rite of passage for cyclists around the world. Last year, over 65,000 went the distance and we hope even more will try this year. For a holiday season you'll never forget, join us on the Festive 500.​

I've not planned anything out just yet like I did last year. I'm not so keen to go bang out a 200km day like I have done in the past and thinking 62.5km per day with a coffee reward might be more my style this year. My theme might even end up being cafes I've wanted to visit, but will have a think. Last year kicked my butt.


So for TCCers feel free to post your ride ideas, whether you will do the ride, your routes, thoughts with ongoing covid, WFH, Japanese government not letting foreigners back in the country risks/can't travel to motherlands for holidays etc.
 
I thought about doing the Rapha Festive 500 last year but a pile of work coming in just after Christmas put an end to that thought. The work situation is looking more favourable this time around though so I'm going to have a crack at it this year. Not sure where I'll ride yet... probably a Miura loop or two, a ride up the Sakaigawa cycling road, and maaaaybe a spin out to Hakone if its not too cold. If you're up for heading down this way (coffee, food, riding) let me know Ben.
 
I might be able to do a few ride but depends as I have promised my daughter to go skiing this year - with some snow already on the mountains in Niigata, it might be a tough 10 days to get everything sorted. I might just do some local rides from my house to Enoshima, and then either across to Kamakura, Yokohama, or Zushi, or the west with Chigasakai and Shonandaira looking on the cars. I might even venture up North towards Musashi-kosugi and even across to Chiba to a friend's bar in Soga.... let's see what happens.
 
After 2 or 3 years not riding the festive 500, this year i`m planning to complete it.
Probably i`ll be climbing a lot since i`m living close to Hanno, but if it is too cold, Irumagawa/ Arakawa or Tamagawa for a change.
 
I am about 250 km in so far, I have done three rides - one longish ride, and two smaller rides of 50km or so. The hardest thing is getting up early, and getting out in the dark, while it being cold. The coldness through the toes is the hardest part and means I have to spend some cash to buy things to keep my little toes warm.
 
I've done just two rides (short ride yesterday and longer ride today) for a total of 191km so far. I won't be able to ride tomorrow or Tuesday so I've got my work cut out for me for the 29th, 30th and 31st.
 
46 km left to go - and I'm fried. 500 km in a week is a massive amount of distance to do and it's been fun. But bloody hell, I'm ready for a sleep. These last 46 km are either going to be a grind out to Enoshima and back to do it, or two trips to pick up beer from Yokohama. I don't know.... I'm just *done*.
 
46 km left to go - and I'm fried. 500 km in a week is a massive amount of distance to do and it's been fun. But bloody hell, I'm ready for a sleep. These last 46 km are either going to be a grind out to Enoshima and back to do it, or two trips to pick up beer from Yokohama. I don't know.... I'm just *done*.
I guess it depends a lot on what your body can handle.
The volume isn`t a problem for me at all (although i rarely ride more than 150km per week), but dealing with the cold has been a real challenge 🥶
Still like 80km and a few hills to go. Hope my feet stick together till next year
 
I managed to get out for an easy 81km ride this afternoon so I'm at 272km now. Got a big ride planned for tomorrow so I should be around 410-420km tomorrow night, which leaves Friday to finish with a 80-90km (?) ride. Hopefully the legs hold out.
 
Got the last 46 km in and then a little bit more. Only downside was that the Garmin 830 I use for rides had a brain fart and just didn't want to record for some reason. Was very much stop start throughout the ride... Annoying but I enjoyed a slow paced ride around down to Enoshima and then back up again to finish off the 500 km.
And it was on the ride back that I realised - it's not about the kms or the distance done - it was about the memories made and the laughs shared with other people over the last week or so. Going to new places, retreading old routes, sharing beers, and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.
 
I tried google for the conversion, but it didn't understand. And I can multiply to get 500km--the easy part.

So how many shovels of snow equal a kilometer of riding?
 
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