Mine is a 7 mile loop around the area where I live. I treat it as a personal time trial each ride. It has two short fairly steep climbs that I attack and one long lesser climb that I try to maintain speed. I ride this course clockwise most of the time. When I feel my muscles have memorized the loop too much, I ride it counterclockwise. If I struggle too much I give it up for about a month and do another 10 mile loop instead.