Failure and Paying for Fun

Last week I did a Field Test, which is essentially a test to see where your training levels should be. You ride as hard as you can for a predetermined period of time, and then calculate your various wattage levels off of that. It's an exercise in will vs pain. The irony is, the harder you work, the harder you will have to work in the future.
 
I failed the test.
 
I started off with a solid night's sleep, good hydration, good fueling, and some pretty solid fitness. I was ready to go. I warmed up well, and then picked a power level that I was pretty sure I could maintain given previous experience. About 7 minutes in, my legs fell off. I couldn't maintain it anymore, so I shut it down, recovered, and rode out the session at a lower pace. The one bright spot in all of this was that even though I blew up, I was able to maintain a pretty decent average power once I reattached my legs.
 
The wife and daughter had been sick a few days before, and it's all too likely that I caught a whiff of what they had. Could have been worse, since norovisrus has been running rampant through the school.
 
Yesterday I decided I needed a break from the trainer, so I slapped some fenders and slicks on the cyclocross bike and rode the Moose Run course to see how the pavement was. It was nice to get out and ride again, although I had forgotten about how much I dislike headwinds. Still, I rode easy and had fun, and cut it short after about an hour. I still paid for it, since I started feeling sick not long after I got home. Completely worth it.
 
Now I have to recover for the first race of the season, which is this Saturday. I'm not expecting anything great, but I'm hoping for a respectable result. I'm also hoping the temperature increases just a tad before then, because I'm ready for a little warm sun.

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