{"id":867,"date":"2021-01-06T20:42:31","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T19:42:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wjednastrone.pl\/?p=867"},"modified":"2021-01-14T21:38:19","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T20:38:19","slug":"festive-500-1-3-a-look-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wjednastrone.pl\/?p=867&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Festive 500 (1\/3): A look back"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I imagine you reading this, I think that since you are here, you probably know very well what the Festive 500<\/a> is, don’t you? Just in case, let me start with a few words of explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Festive 500 is a challenge organized by the British bicycle clothing manufacturer Rapha<\/a> and the Strava sports platform. The challenge consists of cycling 500 km from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve. The 2020 edition was the eleventh edition, and this year organizers allowed virtual rides on Zwift. That was also the first time when Rapha doesn’t send woven roundel for those who achieved the goal. Well\u2026 I am a little bit regretful about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Rapha roundels. Will they return?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is it a lot or a little?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Is 500 km in 8 days a lot or a little? For some people, it is something unimaginable, for others, it’s a piece of cake. The calculations show that it’s enough to ride a little more than 62 km per day. So why is this a challenge? And why every year, tens of thousands of people get on their bikes these days and join it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was thinking about it on one of the days of this year’s edition. There are several reasons for this, in my opinion. First is the season. Nowadays, participants of the challenge come from all over the world, but the idea was born in Great Britain, where the December weather is unlikely to spoil you. The further north you go, the shorter and colder the day becomes. Such obvious obviousness, right? However, one cannot deny that, at least in Europe and the USA, cycling in July and December are two different experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second is Christmas. Among these thousands of participants, there are, of course, those for whom the holiday is when they are riding a bicycle, and when they are not \u2013 there is no holiday. However, we can generalize that people do celebrate Christmas at this time. Christmas Eve, then Christmas itself \u2013 meetings, family, feasting, religious rites, gifts, preparations, etc. And then New Year’s Eve, for which we usually also prepare for a few hours at least (well, maybe not this year). This way, eight days become five for most of us. And that’s 100 km a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, for those who train systematically, there is such a phenomenon as the „cycling season” in life. Therefore, December is when our bodies are tired after a whole year and crave a break. It causes that 100 km becomes longer and doesn’t equal 100 km made in May when we are hungry for air, wind, distance, and speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, I think the Festive 500 is only honestly easy for a small group of participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My lower Silesian 500<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
L\u00f6bau, one of the routes during the Festive 500 in 2016.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was the sixth time I took part in the challenge. I can say that I’m not bored! Each edition was different for me! The first one was, in fact, accidental. In 2015, I set myself a different challenge \u2013 covering 22222 km per year. So, naturally, I was riding until the last day, and after all, it turned out that I met the Festive 500 requirements. I did not plan any routes for this occasion \u2013 I just wanted to achieve my own goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016 it was already conscious participation. Its uniqueness lay in the fact that I covered over 400 out of 500 km in two of the eight days. I still remember that I reached Cz\u0119stochowa on a trekking bike at a pace that I have not repeated until today on the road bike! Secret – hurricane Barbara was pushing me all the way there. And then the frozen, though snowless landscapes stretching between L\u00f6bau and Trzebnica for almost 250 km. That day is one of my „One Way Tickets” (Undescribed). Other days I made short rides to complete the 500 km.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2017, I did not go too far from Wroc\u0142aw, and the majority of the distance I closed in three routes, passing through Strzelin, Z\u0105bkowice \u015al\u0105skie, Jawor, and Strzegom. I reserved a special place in my memories for the first day of the challenge. I made a loop around Wroc\u0142aw without entering into city limits that day. After 150 km in December rain, I wasn’t sure if my fingers may survive, but they did. The last day was full of emotions, as well. After over 100 km, my Garmin restarted spontaneously and began to measure the route from scratch! Fortunately, I was able to recover the trip data successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Into the great wide open<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Parc Garraf, Festive 2018.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first edition that I made on the roads of Catalonia was the one in 2018. It was beautiful then, warm, and there were no movement restrictions. I enjoyed the routes designed especially for this occasion, trying to limit the climbs as much as possible. I completed 500 km ascending 8601 m. It was something completely different than 1975 m of climbing a year earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2019 is a mixed challenge, started in Lower Silesia and ended in Catalonia. That year, the number of days available for a ride was the most significant limitation for me due to travel. To achieve the desired goal, I could not waste any driving opportunity. Eventually, I made it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, the year 2020. We all know what kind of year it was. For me, in the context of the Festive 500, two things mattered. Firstly, to not break the law, I couldn’t leave the comarca of Anoia, where I live. Secondly, the wind which in the last days of the year, seemed to try to prove what it is capable of doing, like, for example, drawing arctic air far to the south, reaching speeds of several dozen km\/h (in some regions over 100 km\/h). Please don’t be deceived by the sun and the blue sky in the pictures that illustrate the next episodes! To take one of those shots, I had to go on all fours! Each time I got up from my knees, I couldn’t stand still, torn by gusts of wind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s how it was, but it’s another story, for another time. Stay tuned for the next episodes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The valey of river Gai\u00e0, Festive 2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Go to Part 2<\/a> \u2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I imagine you reading this, I think that since you are here, you probably know very well what the Festive 500 is, don’t you? Just in case, let me start with a few words of explanation. Festive 500 is a challenge organized by the British bicycle clothing manufacturer Rapha and the Strava sports platform. The challenge consists of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[66,87],"tags":[80,76,79,81,82,75,83,78,77,84,85],"yoast_head":"\nFestive 500 (1\/3): A look back - Catalonia - W jedn\u0105 stron\u0119<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the year 2020, I participated in the Rapha Festive 500 challenge for the sixth time. 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