I've been riding seriously (as in, to improve speed/endurance) only about a year but over the summer I've been averaging over 200 miles a week (fairly hard) and really enjoying how much stronger I feel, especially powering up some of the hills that had previously left me with my tongue hanging out on the stem….

But, with the fall comes a changed work schedule and while commuting I get 20 miles a day and I try to make them spirited (some hills, sprinting stop lights, etc). On the weekends I have a bit more free time and for the last three weeks. I've gone out and ridden a solo 100 mile route, in about 6 hours. But really, there are still only so many hours in the day and while I enjoy this, if this isn't building something, then I have the option of switching to a hard group ride that's 60 miles and reaches puke levels towards the end. This ride ends up being 3 hours.

So, I'm looking for some reassurance that the 100 solo miles aren't junk miles in terms of training (they certainly aren't mentally but that's a separate issue). Usually my average heart rate is about 140s and the next day I'm a wee bit fatigued but I can still go out and hammer a 25 to 30 mile with the neighborhood folks, so I'm clearly not killing myself.

(I'll probably end up alternating the group ride and the 100 since they seem complimentary. Maybe I don't want to do it every week because my wife is in A group so I'm still coming to terms with being dropped by her once in a while)…