I was sick a lot over the last two years, and had trouble getting sick if I rode too hard. I found out I still enjoyed riding if I went a comfortable pace, which was a revelation for me. I still rode an outlandish number of miles, just didn't hurt myself. I decided I needed to be able to ride hard if I wanted to finish Paris-Brest-Paris, so this summer I got some moderate speed work in. I really enjoyed riding with the big packs in that ride. I'm back to riding harder now, and enjoying it more. I don't see anything wrong with either approach, but I like to be able to ride fast if I want.