This is the kind of thing that makes people entirely dismiss people’s virtual miles, which is fine.
2 Likes
Yes!. Hopefully they keep dismissing, so we keep having an offseason advantage.
2 Likes
Likely not happening for me this year. I can put a big week the week before this challenge. Let’s see!
So, who is on it right now? I‘m 300km in, not sure I can finish though (other commitments).
1 Like
On Zwift, I’m ~ halfway. On TP, I am only ~125 miles.
I’ll certainly hit it on Zwift, dunno if I will on TP.
Gotta love Zwift Pack Dynamics. 
1 Like
Will finish tomorrow - 3 indoors rides 2 outdoors…now wondering if I can push to the 1000km…
I read the first fifty comments or so - plenty of indoor versus outdoor debate.
I don’t ride indoors, but accept that there are conditions where riding outside is difficult. I live in Sweden and obviously it can be very cold and snowy here. I can nearly always ride (with studded tyres and suitable clothing) but if I can’t, I jump on the indoor rower.
All I’d say regarding the Festive 500 is that if you can ride outside, you should. If you can’t, then do whatever you can indoors.
We’ve been really lucky this week with mild, dry weather. So 2-8c, not much wind and good riding conditions. Almost all of my 500km will be on gravel (all but a tedious 37km of asphalt) and it’s proving to be great fun. I’ve done 355km with 4388m vertical and 13hrs 49min so far this week (including Monday - I’m planning to hit 500km this week, as well as 500km for the challenge).
I don’t think that gaming the system on an indoor trainer and cranking out the ‘500km’ in 12hrs is especially impressive.
1 Like
I agree with this, and that’s coming from someone who is almost certainly going to complete it all indoors. This is actually my first year even attempting the Festive 500 since we’re usually traveling to visit family from Christmas to New Years.
That said, it definitely takes less time on Zwift if maximizing your speed on uber-flat routes, no wind, perfect tarmac, and generous pack dynamics. For me, that equates to an average of 40 kph on Zwift versus 29 kph on my local routes. That amounts to 12.5 hours on Zwift versus 17.25 IRL.
Why does it matter? There is nothing “pure” about the Rapha 500….it was a marketing gimmick dreamed up to sell winter clothes. Due to COVID, it expanded to include indoor training.
Who really cares how you complete it? However it is done, it takes commitment and a certain amount of mental fortitude. Sitting inside on a trainer for the required amount of time isn’t sitting back and eating bon bons.
Just tip your cap.
12 Likes
I just do it based on time. Outside I average about 32kph, so as long as I get 15.5-16 hours on the trainer I feel like I’ve actually completed the 500.
It’s a lot of time on the trainer.
4 Likes
Festive 500 is about doing it for yourself. A bit of a fun challenge to get yourself on the bike over the festive period. It’s not about getting external validation.
1 Like
Sure…but there is no need to denigrate the efforts of others, either.
6 Likes
100% agree. No need for that. But excluding the whole Festive 500 thing, I think we could all agree that 500 km on Zwift is not the same thing as 500 km outside, or even compared to other trainer conversions of time/power to distance.
1 Like
Though it seems like lots of people like to post about doing it, post the badge, and post it on their Strava. They must get something out of the external validation.
I see the Rapha 500 and wonder why anyone would change their training plan to complete this. I could care less about Rapha.
It seems like it was dreamt up by someone who had a horrible family and wanted to give themselves an excuse not to see them … and then to allow others the same escape.
And to sell stuff.
Two reasons to give it a hard pass. 
3 Likes
Last year fully indoor:
Current year mostly outdoors (target distance done, still pushing as long as weather allows):
I wouldn’t say one is better than other. Yes, I am enjoying outdoor more but this is my internal monologue detail, nothing that affects anybody else 
6 Likes
500k outdoor in the winter is also not the same as in spring or summer. I have 400 done, all indoor, in 12h45. I don’t look for flat routes. I look for nice routes within events with some social interaction. I could not do 12h on Tempus Fugit or that kind of routes.
Outdoor is harder, no doubt about. But I don’t ride outside anymore in cold or rain. And like someone said…2h for 8 days on a trainer is also not that evident.
They must get upset when they realise no one else really cares 
Rather spend the time with my family this time of year.
2 Likes