Jump to content

2023 Festive 500


The Ouzo

Recommended Posts

Right, I've got it in my mind to do this.

25th is out, so that leaves me 7 days.

My thinking is either, 

1) 24th - 100km

    25th - 0km

   26th - 100km

  27th - 100km

  28th - 0km

  29th - 100km

  30th - 100km

Or

2) Split it up over the 7 days, some days longer some days less. It will mean less rest days though.

 

Doing more than 100km will probably mean needing a longer rest between. Already not sure how my body will be handling the consecutive 100km days.

 

Any other tips for doing this ? I'm hoping the weather plays along and I'll be picking easy-ish routes.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 192
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I always try to aim for 1000km.   That way the 500 gets done quickly and easily without thinking.  😉

Always try to do more per day in the beginning 3-5 days, if you can.  Makes the goal more doable in your head.
If the sun is good, legs okay (legs will be eina after the 3rd consecutive day.....learn to live with this), and you have some time.....do extra.  More than 100km.
If you go 125, 0, 130, 125, 120.  Then 5 days in you are already at mission accomplish.  
Obviously there will be a day in there with rain or sore ass or family emergency.  That is what day 6, 7 and 8 are there for.

That is my usual strategy.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It depends, on a number of factors:

  • weather conditions (rain, heat wave);
  • your own ability to handle back-to-back days;
  • available days;
  • available hours on each day.

My strategy would be similar to @Spinnekop except for the total distance (600Km is adequate for me based on my weekly average, it's not too much of a stretch). Get at much done, as possible, in the first 5 days, and allow for a bad day (you and/or the weather). 

I'll start earlier, meet up at 05:00 means leaving 10-15 mins before, so that we're back before the heat kicks in. Will try for 120-140Km on days 1, 3 and 4 - and then take it from there for the remaining 4 days.

I have done 80, 0, 80, 80, 60, 60, 60 and 80 one year when I was working the 3 days between Christmas and New Year weekends. 
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Sprockets said:

Try get someone to join you on a day when they are available. 500km solo is mind numbing 

yeah, going to try and get my mate to join at least 1 day, also going to check if the local bike shop group rides have anything planned.

 

forgot to mention, also need to leave some time and energy to spend time with my family, that is after all why i took leave. 

But I'm going to try and head out the door very early in the mornings, that way i'll beat the heat, as well as be back by the time the rest of the family roll out of bed for breakfast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Frosty said:

It depends, on a number of factors:

  • weather conditions (rain, heat wave);
  • your own ability to handle back-to-back days;
  • available days;
  • available hours on each day.

My strategy would be similar to @Spinnekop except for the total distance (600Km is adequate for me based on my weekly average, it's not too much of a stretch). Get at much done, as possible, in the first 5 days, and allow for a bad day (you and/or the weather). 

I'll start earlier, meet up at 05:00 means leaving 10-15 mins before, so that we're back before the heat kicks in. Will try for 120-140Km on days 1, 3 and 4 - and then take it from there for the remaining 4 days.

I have done 80, 0, 80, 80, 60, 60, 60 and 80 one year when I was working the 3 days between Christmas and New Year weekends. 
 

yeah points 1 and 2 are the unknown factors.

I know how tired my body has been after doing 160km in one ride, 947 took a bit to recover but I was deep in the red the entire race, if I'm doing these rides at a max of zone 3 then I should be ok.

 

In terms of recovery, what do you guys do on a daily basis ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

In terms of recovery, what do you guys do on a daily basis?

Recovery or riding?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Recovery or riding?

recovery on a daily basis. i.e. you've ridden what you need to for the day, what do you do to recover.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, The Ouzo said:

yeah, going to try and get my mate to join at least 1 day, also going to check if the local bike shop group rides have anything planned.

 

forgot to mention, also need to leave some time and energy to spend time with my family, that is after all why i took leave. 

But I'm going to try and head out the door very early in the mornings, that way i'll beat the heat, as well as be back by the time the rest of the family roll out of bed for breakfast.

I do 5-10 on most days.
If the sleep was okayish (6 hours +) then I try to get out at 4.

Heat and time with family.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Spinnekop said:

I do 5-10 on most days.
If the sleep was okayish (6 hours +) then I try to get out at 4.

Heat and time with family.  

yeah, if the heat is anything like we're having now, I'll be trying to get out the door by around 4:30am

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, The Ouzo said:

yeah points 1 and 2 are the unknown factors.

I know how tired my body has been after doing 160km in one ride, 947 took a bit to recover but I was deep in the red the entire race, if I'm doing these rides at a max of zone 3 then I should be ok.

 

In terms of recovery, what do you guys do on a daily basis ?

During the December week?
Get home. 

  • Protein shake. 
  • Shower. 
  • 15min with the massage gun. 
  • 20min nap.

Then daily family stuff.  Go out somewhere.  Do things.  Spend way too much on ice-cream and fun

From 5pm easy afternoon.  Maybe a bit of TV.  8pm in bed.


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Zeffer said:

26th will be 10 laps of Klapperkop again. Thats 180km in the bag. Just saying

Always an AWESOME to-do.  More like 150km if you are going to park there and just ride 10 laps. 
Lots of people and the vibe is lekker and pace is okay. 
Did it last year on the gravel bike and it was manageable with the thick tekkies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout