Assuming that he wants to be able to stay with these guys, which is the better approach -- Go out and ride with them really fast, but blow a gasket by being over LT for the full 7 miles? Or training at some lower level (80% of AT?) over time which builds the reserves? I'm not a training expert, but I have read that even though it is tempting to join a hammer fest to challenge yourself, riding beyond your ability is not the quickest way to improve your overall speed.