Frequent short rides are better than infrequent long rides.
I was once told, "Given a fixed amount of riding time, it's more beneficial to ride frequently for shorter durations, than it is to ride sporadically for a long duration."
My personal experience indicates that he's right.
In other words, given the following scenario, which rider would advance more quickly?
Rider A: Rides four times per week, for 30 minutes each ride.
Rider B: Rides one time each month for eight hours.
Motorcycle instructors will tell you, Rider A would advance more quickly.
Still not convinced?
Ask a great piano teacher whether it's better to practice once a week for one hour, or four times a week for 15 minutes. Nine out of ten will choose the latter.
When time is short - "frequent" short rides are the better than "infrequent" long rides.