It’s December again. Yep. December. Again! Thoughts now turn to upcoming Christmas holidays, maybe a bit of time off work, and of course the Festive 500 challenge. The Festive 500 is a simple challenge – ride 500km (311 miles) in the 8 days from Christmas Eve to New Years Eve. Back in the day, all finishers used to receive a beautiful Rapha cloth roundel as a congratulations, but that has since been discontinued (likely due to Rapha’s budget woes, higher participant numbers, and logistics).

https://www.strava.com/challenges/rapha-festive-500-2023

While 500km is an achievable goal if you have no other commitments, throw in the Christmas festivities (and the chance of awful weather) and it can be quite the challenge. Miss a day and those extra km’s soon add up! Here are my top ten tips to get you on the path to Festive 500 success:

1) Have an achievable game plan. Work out when you can ride a lot, what days you’ll only be able to ride a little, make yourself a spreadsheet outlining what days you can/can’t ride, how many miles you intend to do each day, and how far you’ve got left to complete the challenge. Being organised with your riding will keep you on track throughout the challenge. I find it’s best if you also…

2) Get a head start. Try and put in one or two bigger rides in the first few days. It helps to get “ahead of the curve” in order to build some buffer mileage. That way, if there’s an unexpected turn in the weather or a last minute event you can’t miss, you won’t fall too far behind. Don’t go TOO hard though, you don’t want to burn out early and suffer for the remaining days.

3) Service your bike. A well maintained bike will be reliable, serve you well, and save you energy over the long haul. Ensure your bike is running in top condition and nothing is worn out. You don’t want to be stranded miles from home with a mechanical failure that could have been easily prevented.

4) Grab some friends and plan an adventure. Needless to say, bagging big miles is far more enjoyable when you’re surrounded by good mates. Take turns sheltering in the draft, have a good chat, and complete the challenge together. The miles will fly by much faster with friends.

5) Check the weather. Know the day’s wind direction and speed, know the temperature and chance of rain. Weather apps are your best friend! Once you’ve got a handle on the weather you can plan your rides accordingly. A tailwind on the homeward stretch is always a welcome blessing.

6) Don’t be a hill hunting hero. There’s no prize here for elevation gain. This is a distance challenge pure and simple. Head out to the flatlands or seek out gently rolling roads. The Festive 500 is not the time to be smashing out those end-of-year epic climb KOMs. Save the elevation gain for a different challenge.

7) Fuel well, rest, and recover. You’ll need to be putting in serious saddle time over the course of the challenge so ensure you fuel your rides properly. Carbs are king! Hydrate and consume enough calories during your ride to keep you going. Tuck into a healthy recovery meal afterwards and get some good shut-eye. Your body will thank you.

8) Send your loved ones away. Seriously. This challenge is MUCH easier if you minimise any family commitments or other pesky Christmas events that get in the way of riding. Take time off work too, you know you want to. Go on, you deserve it.

9) Turn to the trainer. Whether you agree with it or not, virtual miles logged on a GPS-enabled virtual training platform such as FulGaz, Zwift, or indieVELO count towards your Festive 500 total. This option was added during Covid lockdowns where it wasn’t always legal to ride outside. If the weather is terrible, or you lack daylight hours for your riding due to other commitments, you can always switch on the trainer and crank out some virtual miles.

10) Move to Australia. 😂 Okay maybe not the most constructive tip, but hey! I’ve completed three Festive 500’s now; once in the English winter, and two in the Australian summer. I can tell you with absolute certainty which season I prefer to complete this challenge in!

But most of all … Enjoy the journey! Good luck!