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rapha festive 500 bike ride

5 Century Rides in 8 Days - Upping the Ante of the Rapha Festive 500

Every year, cyclists around the world take on the Rapha Festive 500, a tradition of riding 500 kilometers between December 24–31. It’s a celebration of consistency, grit, and finding joy on the bike during the darkest days of the year.

This year, we decided to push it even further.

Instead of 500 kilometers, we upped the ante to 500 miles.🫣
And to keep it interesting we did it in five centuries over eight days. 

Here’s my breakdown of how these rides went. Full transparency, this is data based on a 48 year old, female rider (145lb) with an FTP of 252 watts. I was riding my Allied Echo with GP5K 32’s. Richard is a 52 year old male (170lb) with a FTP of 270 watts, riding his titanium Stinner with 32’s GP5K.

📊 Festivus 500 by the Numbers

  • Total distance: 551.11 miles
    *includes miles outside of centuries (like commuting from trains and some Hummingbird Fuels deliveries)

  • Total ride time: 39 hrs 23 min

  • Total century ride days: 5 

  • Hummingbird Fuels delivery days: 1 (about 22 miles)

  • Rest days: 2

  • Centuries ridden: 5

  • Average century ride time: 6.5 – 7.5 hours per century

  • Days riding in the rainstorms: 2

  • Primary fuel: Hummingbird Fuels high carb drink mix

  • Carb target: 70–90g carbs per hour

Let’s get into a breakdown of each day.

Festivus Ride 1: Marshall Wall Ya'll ⚡️

Miles: 105.45
Elevation: 6,551 feet
Ride Time: 6hr 57 min
Avg Speed: 15.2 mi/h
Strava PRs: 5

Day one of any multi-day epic is always deceptive. Legs feel fresh, motivation is high, and it’s tempting to ride harder than planned. But knowing this was going to be a “long haul” it was important to start conservatively. That said, the group was riding strong, and we definitely got some good momentum. Sunshine and good vibes helped keep the stoke high. And the cadence humming.

Lisa’s Fueling Plan:

Total carbs / hour = 70-75 grams

Richard’s Fueling Plan:

Total carbs / hour = 80-85 grams

We didn’t stop for a proper lunch, but did have a coffee break in Point Reyes (about 40 miles into the ride). And another refueling stop around mile 80. Finishing the day off with a stop at Popeye’s Chicken (which definitely hit). Fueling right to the end (and past) is key to setting up your body for the next day’s effort. 

Consuming enough calories is a major challenge with these back to back “big days.” You want to ensure you not only replenish your depleted glycogen stores from day 1, but you also want to set yourself up for a strong start on day 2.  

While fast food might not be everyone’s go to, you can’t deny the calorie density. It definitely works. 

Takeaways:
Fuel early and often. Ride steady, don’t over cook the start. Finish feeling like you could ride again, because guess what…you will.

Festivus Ride 2: Storm Edition ⛈️ 

Miles: 107.07
Elevation: 6,286 feet
Ride Time: 7hr 17 min
Avg Speed: 14.7 mi/h
Strava PRs: 4

Merry Christmas. This morning, everyone in SF was awoken at 3 am with an emergency alert on their phones from NOAA, warning everyone of a major storm and to stay off the roads. Did it make sense to keep going? Hmm. To be honest, it didn’t look too bad so we decided to go with it, but make it abundantly clear to anyone who joined, that this ride might get cut short. And to please ride within your own abilities. 

We had a mighty crew of about 5 of us, even one dude doing his longest ride ever (nothing short of heroic). He swears that Hummingbird Fuels saved him. 

I thought we were going to call the ride at our midway 7-11 stop (the only thing open). And even the bodega lost power in the storm!

Rain, wind, hail, this ride was one for the books, and definitely a tough day on the bike. The headwinds (and at some point cross, tail, everything) left a mark. These kinds of conditions really highlight the importance of proper fueling. When the efforts increase, your body needs more carbs for a race. This was definitely reflected in the plan:

Lisa’s Fueling Plan:

  • 1.25 servings of Hummingbird Fuels per hour (75g carbs)

  • Add Swedish Candy and Christmas Cookies

Total carbs / hour = 75-85 grams

Richard’s Fueling Plan:

Total carbs / hour = 85-95 grams

While the rough conditions did persist, we got a small reprieve here and there. Maybe no the most magical Christmas, but was quite an accomplish to finish this ride. And that dude who’d never done a ride longer than 70 miles. Yep, he crushed it. Really impressive.

Takeaways:
Cold, winter weather demands more fueling. Be sure to increase your carb intake to offset the extra energy and effort necessary to keep pushing in tough conditions. Even just riding in cold weather requires extra energy to keep your body temp regulated. Don’t be afraid to adjust your fueling intake. And even increase your Hummingbird Fuels servings to compensate. It can be tough to eat in stormy weather (searching in pockets for food). Meanwhile, grabbing a bottle and drinking can feel safer and simpler. Experiment, but don’t be afraid to increase your fueling needs.  

Festivus Ride 3: Grindy Edition 💥

Miles: 109.75
Elevation: 7,231 feet
Ride Time: 7hr 42 min
Avg Speed: 14.4 mi/h
Strava PRs: 4
Local Legend: 1

Not all rides are smooth and this one was the perfect example of it. Woof. We started in the city and went to the East Bay to explore Morgan Territory (a route I’d never done). Sadly, the “junk miles” in between were pretty slow. And when you’re doing 100 miles, ensuring your route has some good flow really does make a difference, since any slow downs just adds to the overall time on the bike. It might not seem like it at the time, but stop lights, bike paths and busy city centers can make for a very grindy, long day. 

That said, we did end up exploring a new part of the Bay Area, and it was pretty spectacular. Not to mention some delicious treats (three bakery stops) and some beautiful sunshine really kept spirits high. 

Lisa’s Fueling Plan:

  • 1 serving of Hummingbird Fuels per hour (60g carbs)

  • Add Swedish Candy 

  • Added in some Burger King at the end of the ride (so definitely fueling for the next day) 

Total carbs / hour = 70-75 grams

Richard’s Fueling Plan:

  • 1 sachet of Hummingbird Fuels per hour (60g carbs)

  • Add croissant/pastries 

  • Added in some Burger King at the end of the ride (so definitely fueling for the next day) 

Total carbs / hour = 80-85 grams

Takeaway:
On rides that require some extra focus (those days that feel super long) make sure you keep eating, keep drinking. You don’t want to fall behind on your nutrition, it’ll make everything feel even worse. 

Festivus Ride 4: Eating Edition 🍔

Miles: 104.05
Elevation: 6,736 feet
Ride Time: 7hr 26 min
Avg Speed: 14.4 mi/h
Strava PRs: 2
Local Legend: 1
Strava Top 10: 5th place

Today’s ride was made up of the greatest hits of SF’s most popular cycling routes. A century where folks could hop on and hop off, embracing the spirit of the season and creating a ride where we could all hang. The weather was 10/10 and we were hosted by The Pink Puffin midway to refuel before we headed across the Golden Gate Bridge for more local area classics including Hawk Hill, Marin Mountains and Paradise Loop. 

Goes to show not every century has to be an epic ride to far off lands. Sometimes, you can create a memorable route in your own backyard….literally. 

Lisa’s Fueling Plan:

  • 1 serving of Hummingbird Fuels per hour (60g carbs)

  • Add Swedish Candy 

  • Added in some In n’ Out burgers at the end (so the last hour was probably closer to 90grams)

Total carbs / hour = 70-75 grams

Richard’s Fueling Plan:

  • 1 sachet of Hummingbird Fuels per hour (60g carbs)

  • Add croissant/pastries 

  • Added in some In n’ Out burgers at the end (so the last hour was probably closer to 90grams)

Total carbs / hour = 80-85 grams

Takeaway:
Creating a century where friends who don’t want to join for the whole ride (or don’t have the fitness) is a really great way to build community and create more inclusion. Assembling a series of local rides to make one big one, is a novel way to bring folks together, while still meeting your mileage goals.

Festivus Ride 5: The Wettest of the All 💦

Miles: 103.28
Elevation: 8,520 feet
Ride Time: 7hr 54 min
Avg Speed: 13.2 mi/h
Strava PRs: 2
Local Legend: 1

Is it the Queen Stage if it’s also the toughest day? Not only did we have to face some epicly bad weather (just slightly less windy than the Christmas Day edition). But today, New Year’s Eve, had yet another winter storm barrel through, leaving us soaked to the bone for the entire day. The rain started at 9am and didn’t stop. 

Plus, this was the ride with the most elevation of them all. West Alpine Road, right at the end of the route (woof). A climb of about 2000 feet. Time to settle in and get it done. 

Fuelling was again over indexed on liquid calories because of the horrible weather. When it’s super gross out it’s so much easier to just grab a bottle and drink, versus digging into pockets (and in this case, across many layers of soaking wet clothing) to try and dig out a pretzel.

Lisa’s Fueling Plan:

  • 1.25 servings of Hummingbird Fuels per hour (75g carbs)

  • Add Swedish Candy and Christmas Cookies

Total carbs / hour = 75-85 grams

Richard’s Fueling Plan:

Total carbs / hour = 85-95 grams

All in all I was really impressed with our performance (this ride was just the two of us, and honestly I don’t blame anyone for not joining, it was a wet one). But even after all those miles we were still able to drill it on the last 8 miles with an average of 20mph (that’s drilling it for us, at this point! haha). Not too bad for someone with 540 miles in the legs! But I give a lot of credit to Hummingbird Fuels too. Having a steady intake of carbs just ensures you never fall behind, and when you ask for the legs to push…they deliver.

Takeaway:
Tough days on the bike are made a little easier with proper fueling. It’s not a magic bullet, but it’s one less thing to think about when you’re dealing with adverse conditions. Another big shoutout goes to my Q36.5 rain paints. The GOAT of all rain protection. And my GOREWEAR Lupra 2.0 jacket. Not the most aero fit, but practically bombproof on a torrential day. 

🧠 What Riding 5 Centuries Teaches You

  • Steady > Big Hero Pushes

  • Fueling is training

  • Recovery starts in the last hour on the bike

  • Simple plans scale best

  • Joy matters, so embrace community

The Festive 500 is about more than distance. It’s about showing up, grinding it out when no one else wants to, and creating memories with friends.

This year, we showed up for 500 miles. And I can honestly say, I’d definitely do it again. So whatcha say? Wanna join for the Hummingbird Fuels Festivus 500 miles next year?

Follow our Strava Club for all the details (and more fueling fun throughout 2026).

Fuel well.
Ride steady.
Finish happy.

🐦 Drink Your Fuel. Fuel Your Fun.

If you’re planning your own big challenge, whether it’s a single century or five, let us know and we can get you fueled so you’re ready to have more fun. Because that’s truly what it’s all about. 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Charlebois  IG: @hustleandahalf

Lisa is a San Francisco based endurance cyclist and co-founder and CEO of Hummingbird Fuels. As a randonneur (endurance cyclist) she has completed many of the world’s most iconic rides, including Paris-Brest-Paris and the 1200km Midnight Sun Randonnée (a journey through Northern Sweden, Norway and the Arctic Circle). Plus, too many 200 km through 1000 km rides to count. Originally from Canada, she’s now settled in the Bay Area where she’s currently training for her next epic distance event, the Land’s End to John O’Groats 1400km/870 mile brevet, in August 2026. 

 

 

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