Fresh

One thing about a new job and working hard and fitting your riding schedule around your family and wife's increasing (some weeks) work schedule, you dont get to ride much. last few weeks I have ridden 3 times per week including a race or weekend ride.

But luckily I get some intensity in those rides. I wouldnt always say I feel fresh because some days I am wrecked from work or doing off the bike training and getting wrecked at work.

But overall I feel fresh when I need to kick up the intensity. If you cannot ride as much then warm-up easy then throw in some hard efforts. Pretend your attacking like Armstrong up a mountain pass or sprint for a few town line signs. Even better with friends. But dont let friends hold you back. Just let them know you need some intensity and blast away then recover so then can catch up or entice some tom foolery on the ride.

And my all time favorite solo training ride is do do a lot of endurance and tempo (HR or power) riding. Tempo pushes your LT and endurance keeps the furnace burning for weight loss. Do LT (time trial pace) when called for like up a climb or if your feeling good on your favorite stretch of pavement. These rides require no recovery the next day, but provide great training load. You'll be surprisingly tired afterward, but feeling great.