Originally Posted by
bruce19
Most of my rides have been in the 15-35 mi. range. And, I tend to ride them like a TT. For some reason I love the feeling of totally pushing myself as hard as I can from start to finish..
Classic training error. You need to include some higher intensity interval training. To be able to do that you need to go easier on other rides to allow adequate recovery. I know it's fun to push all the time, but you inhibit improvement by doing so. The zone you're riding has been called "no man's land." Not intense enough to really improve; not easy enough to recover. On the one hand, I assume your income doesn't rely on how well you ride, so do what you enjoy. But on the other, if you enjoy getting better and want to hang better on the group rides, you need to incorporate some structure and discipline to your training. Each ride should have a purpose. And remember, you don't get stronger while training; you get stronger recovering from training.