I made myself slow down. I set a heart rate ceiling and stayed under it. Funny how simple it is to say. My problem is that when I get myself out on the road I feel like I'm 16 again. Some days I have no discipline at all. I plan an endurance ride and two hours later I'm chasing cars down Mt Airy Road. Sure am glad I'm not paying for a coach. I'd drive him nuts.

That was my problem. I felt too much pride to let myself go slow enough for base building.

I guess what I learned was that "It never gets easier, you only get faster" can also be stated as "If you keep going the same speed, it DOES get easier!"