50 is the new 40 you know...i know what you mean though,i just finished another climbing challenge,only 6000m this month...but 6 months ago i would have been thinking of that as an easy month...heck,i took most of last week off,only 63 miles which is less than half of my average...for me progress on the bike is measured in getting up the numerous loose rocky climbs...figuring out what i can actually ride the bike over...
Hills are where it's at. I really believe I could train for ultras...solely..by running up and down steep hills. I'm only running 8-10 milers right now. In those 8-10 miles 75% is going up and down hills....25% in the "flats" running from one hill to the next.....I feel like I cheated if I don't run my hills....and well..also...that's all I have. I don't have many true flats to run. It's all hill here.