The Festive 500 was born from there and has grown in popularity ever since. Last year saw 82,420 people take on the challenge – up from 72,000 in 2015.

But it’s not easy by any stretch – in 2015 only 13,311 of the 72,000 riders completed 500km in the eight-day period, while last year’s total finishers numbered 17,373 – and that includes riders in the currently summery southern hemisphere, who naturally have an advantage with warm weather and long days in which to ride.

For those with the classic wintry weather conditions to tackle, like us Brits, we need to take a more pragmatic and realistic approach in order to get ourselves over the line. We’ve spoken to the instigator of this now-classic challenge, and an everyday rider (and successful Festive 500 participant) to uncover the top tips that could help you.

Start early

Getting out early doors could be key to success – keeping the family happy in the process. Obviously, this depends a lot on your commitments during the festive period, but as a general rule you should look to get rides in before the activities of the day really start.

“I try to get out by around 8.30am, which gives time for at least a couple of hours around my local stomping ground around the city of Bath,” says Sage. “That way you avoid the worst of the traffic and are back late morning, leaving most of the day for family stuff anyway.

“If you don’t have plans and the weather isn’t too grotty, then you can extend it and get a longer ride in instead. Although, I never take the risk for an early ride if it’s icy. Personally I struggle a bit in the cold, and ice just compounds the issue. Don’t risk it!”

Have a motivational route

Having a target in mind – a coffee stop you like to visit, or like Raeburn and his epic 2009 adventure, perhaps a family member’s house as you do your rounds – can be vital for motivation.

If it’s likely to be a one-way trip, take the opportunity to organise riding to your destination, with the support of your family or friends. Simply pack a change of clothes in the car with your fellow travellers, check that it’s ok to have a shower on arrival, and no one will be the wiser.

Alternatively, make a beeline for some café stops you don’t normally visit – exploring new roads should help keep things fresh while at the same giving a sneak preview of a route that might be perfect during the summer months.

“Try to see new places and ride new roads every now and then. Exploring keeps things interesting, while making sure you have a reward in the form of a great meal or a treat can work wonders,” says Raeburn. “A treat can mean different things to different people – sometimes simply riding in some new winter socks can be enough to motivate you.

Go flat

The type of terrain you’re surrounded by will naturally have an impact on how long you’ll need to be on the bike.

“Most of my routes tend to avoid the worst of the hills during the 500, although that doesn’t mean I don’t go for a bit of a challenge from time to time,” says Sage. “We’ve got the Mendips on our doorstep here, with Cheddar Gorge dropping down onto the Somerset Levels.”

However, seeking out predominantly flat terrain is the clever choice, especially if you know you’ll need to save your legs for the days to come. You’ll ride faster, and therefore might be tempted to extend your ride for longer than you originally planned, bringing you closer to your distance target – which, at the end of the day, is the point.

Integrate it (into your plan)

Some riders like to use the Festive 500 as a motivational training block towards next year’s goals, especially if they’ve been off the bike for a while as an end-of-season break. It can be a great tool for kick-starting the following year’s riding, knowing you’ve put miles in the legs before the new year has even come in.

“There are two ways of looking at it,” says Sage. “You can either see it as a platform for next year, or think of it as a final flourish for the year end. I’ve always looked at it as the latter, but I can definitely see why using the 500 simultaneously as a builder for the following year is as motivating for some.”

This means you could indeed look to give yourself additional goals, like improving your climbing ability, by choosing hilly routes instead. Raeburn offers this word of caution, however: “500km is a long distance – I’ve failed myself on a couple of occasions when things have conspired against me. Within the 500, try to set a personal goal or target on route – which could be performance-based or as simple as delivering a Christmas present.

Record the memories

The Festive 500 has become more than a ride – it’s also a story, if you want to tell it. Doing so can be a real motivator, because you get the feeling you’re creating an event, rather than going on a simple ride, says Raeburn.

“The first year round, I took lots of photos and uploaded blog posts about the experience. At the time it didn’t mean a whole lot, but now I’m grateful I did that and documented it. I think that, if not now, in years to come you’ll be grateful if you record aspects of it too.

“Each year I’m blown away by the submissions we get in the Rapha office. We receive notebooks, sketchbooks, amazing photography, as well as the usual social media submissions,” he says.

Rapha offer prizes to those riders who best document their adventures – previous winners include Justyna and Arek Cebula from Poland, who rode the entire Festive 500 in 2015 with their 12-month-old daughter in tow (check out the video above). Last year’s winners, meanwhile, are all documented here.

Meanwhile, every participant who rides the full 500km receives a woven badge from Rapha – but the greatest prize comes purely in the pride of completing the challenge.