Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
In the matter of endurance ride pace, I do the opposite. I go really hard on the climbs, moderate but still fast on the flat, until I'm tired, then I simply try to get to the end as quickly as I reasonably can. If I can still walk comfortably, I know I could have gone harder. I try to leave it all on the road. Endurance starts to build when one starts enduring. Of course I don't do that during events, just training rides. You don't know where your limits are unless you go in search of them. IME this can make a century event an easy day in the park where one just has fun riding with others.
Well I have noticed that if I go too hard on the climbs during the endurance rides, and really go all out, it takes me 2-3 days to recover properly before being able to put in a good effort again.
This is really not beneficial to my training consistency, as it would prevent me from riding "properly" again until Wednesdays or Thursdays, thus not getting my full schedule done. I've heard it is better to be consistent and get 3-4 rides in per week, rather than one or two huge rides.
I guess different things work for different people.