Mental breakdown vs physical breakdown

Today was 2 sets of 6reps of 3min on 3 min off.

I experienced a phenomena that I've seen over the past two years. My 3 minute intervals go better than my 2 minute intervals . One speculation is that in my plan the 3 min intervals don't come until the 2nd week. By this time I'm definitely getting some adaptation taking place and getting stronger.

Another speculation is that the 3 min intervals force me to be more mentally detached in order to complete the interval. With a 2 minute interval, maybe 1 minute of detachment, and 1 min of on/off mental war of trying to focus vs my mind going all over the place.

Regardless I was doing 300W (calibrated at 57kg) difficult but doable. This is as much or more as my 2 min intervals. The problem arose in the second set. Mentally I just started to wander.

Started thinking about needing to get to work, and started feeling guilty for being down here while my kids/wife are upstairs. Lately with this routine I'm up before the kids get up or they are just getting up then down to the trainer. They are off to the bus oftentimes before I get done. Then off to work and either I'm getting back late or they have their Karate and then I don't see them until late. Even if it's just for a few minutes to tussle their hair and tease them it's important.

In this kind of workout, it just takes a tiny seed of errant thought and I'm screwed.

So getting into the last set I was bogging down the last 30seconds. Sometimes when I fail I'm going down fighting to the last pedal stroke. This time I just sort of put my sword down and got rolled over. The electromagnetic brake just ramps up and it's all over.

So I just stopped it partway through the second set. Physically I felt pretty good. So that's a good sign

Went upstairs and hung out with the family till they went to the bus. My youngest said bye SuperDad. His favorite word is super right now.