Rapha #festive500 and Strava Run 20+13 Summary.

What a fantastic 10 days. We've had a few times where we've had to MTFU, but my memories are full of the laughs we've shared whilst running and cycling each day.

34 miles run and 505 kilometres cycled. Which took a grand total of 39 hours and 23 minutes.

Minipips completed the Rapha #festive500 last year, so we were fairly confident given that challenge alone and no snow, that we would stand a reasonable chance of completing it again in 2013.

Minipips thought it would be a good idea to also add the Strava run 20+13 mile challenge to our itinerary.

If you are a regular runner then 33 miles over 10  days is no big thing. However I hadn't run much this year, and Minipips other than the usual running about that 8 year old kids do, had done none.

The running challenge started two days before the cycling one, so the first two days we ran. When we got on to our bikes on day 3, we both had a good dose of DOMS to contend with. Just what you need when you've got 6 hours in the saddle to look forward to.

The last 8 days needed managing such that we could fit both cycling and running in. That would mean some long days on the bike, and also some long runs. Plus of course there's Xmas family visiting etc to slot in also.

We did learn on Boxing Day that 9 miles is about the furthest Minipips could easily run, so thereafter we had a couple of days where we cycled and ran, rather than doing one or the other which was the original plan.

Thanks to my wife and daughter for hoovering up the mud we brought home every day, and for making us goodies for our sustenance. We were both very grateful for my wife's genius idea that we should take a flask of tea each day.

We said last year we wouldn't be riding the #festive500 this year.

We're glad we changed our minds.

Well done if you completed either or both challenges.

Here are the blog entries in order.

Strava Challenge Run 20+13 Day 1.

Strava Challenge Run 20+13 Day 2.

Rapha #festive500 Part 1.

Rapha #festive500 Part 2.

Strava Challenge Run 20+13 Day 3.

Rapha #festive500 Part 3.

Strava Challenge Run 20+13 Day 4 + Rapha #festive500 Part 4.

Rapha #festive500 Part 5.

Rapha #festive500 Part 6.

Rapha #festive500 Part 7. Strava Challenge Run 20+13 Day 5

We hope you have a great 2014!