Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy

It's just about ego, Pepperbelly. You're simply not driven hard enough by your mental internals. Which is fine. We don't all have to be nuts. I'm an admitted nutcase, can't help myself. I've always been driven to do more. Which has worked out for me. As I say, I trained hard for 30 years for my open heart surgery, amazing the docs with my recovery. Recovery was always a primary goal of my riding. I started running a mile every day when I was 12. Whatever. Some people do extremely hard rock climbs, no rope. Some people are ballet dancers, can't help themselves from excelling. When I was 17, I saw a very fit looking bearded guy walk out of a library. I said, "I'll be that guy." And I am. But not everyone has to do this. It's stupid, really. Dates back to when we chased down our food on foot and were lucky to come back from the experience. Not necessary now. It's a matter of perspective.

All that said, if you want to get stronger and build endurance, just ride around that frigging lake until you either cramp or can't turn the pedals anymore. And then do a post-mortem to figure out why you cramped and what muscles failed you and need to be strengthened. Or maybe you just needed to eat more on the bike. Yeah, it's self-torture, what one does. Some folks don't like it, others love it. I've rolled around in ditches, watching the little animals run up and down my legs under the skin. That's what it takes. But of course I'm way out on the far end of the spectrum. You don't have to go that far, but the further out you go, the better your results. It's just life choices..

Another thought: Sure, there are many theories about drills to increase endurance and they probably work, but basically endurance increases when you endure. That's why it's called that. Fresh terrain helps - as it is said, see hill, ride up it.