Originally Posted by
DrIsotope
For some reason, the two times I've done the Festive, I did it in 5 days both times-- which is, as you can guess, +100km per day. This year, I am making a conscious effort to ride at least 6 days. The first year I did 115 miles on December 30th, and it took me from sunrise to sunset, as I had to stop and eat twice, and had picked an absolutely idiotic route.
As to doing a double ride on Xmas Eve, if my wife heard that I was even thinking of such a thing, I would get kneecapped. She doesn't like me riding at night as is (I do not fault her for worrying, if the situation was reversed I would worry even more) and if I tried hitting the road in the dark the night before Santa arrives, she'd make sure I couldn't turn the cranks.
I totally hear ya about the night riding. I've ridden quite a bit at night, though, and since I started riding again in August I've probably averaged 1 to 2 night rides per week. Often it's a result of not getting up early enough to get my ride in before work, but then wanting to get a ride in that day, so I go out at night. When I do go out at night I try to keep it fairly local. I've got good lights, and I have reflective dots all over my helmet. Night cycling, like night scuba diving, is one of those things that scares the crap out of me when I think about it, but I totally enjoy when I don't think about it and just do it.
I had to go look to remind myself what years I did the Festive 500. It was 2012 and 2013. I got deployed in 2014 so it wasn't an option, and then I didn't cycle for two years after I returned, so this will be my first stab at it since 2013. I did the midnight ride both times that I did it. That extra sleep cycle really helped out.
I did the Spring Classics challenge in 2013 and 2014, and that was actually quite tough as well, because it required something like 200 miles per week. It was like adding an extra long ride per week, and recovery was noticeably a challenge for me. I bonked once during the Spring Classics challenge one of those years because I was riding so much, while also trying to lose weight at the same time. My glycogen was very depleted and this one ride I went out on an empty stomach with insufficient stores and bonked like 22 miles into the ride. Not a good experience. I ended up buying some Ovaltine and combined it with protein powder and milk, sometimes even dropping in a little Herschey's syrup, to ensure that my post-ride recovery was more effective. Sounds a little overkill, but it did help.
I do think my endurance will be significantly better this Christmas time, so the Festive 500 ought to be a little easier on me. I'll plan on doing the Spring Classics again too if they still offer that one. I'll plan on doing my midnight ride again. It usually requires a little planning on my part, because it's almost always the coldest ride I'll do all year, and when it's down in the 30s my normal cycling garb is simply not sufficient.