I’ve found that akin to the NYT article that cooterbob has posted in another thread…that endurance athletes of any sport are a different breed. I’ve also found a side to myself over the past few years with bike racing and now tri’s, that was somewhat hidden…How many of you like, no, LOVE the pain…How many look forward to that burning sensation in your muscles, that feeling like you just can’t go any harder cause it hurts so good, and that feeling (bike racing at least) like you’re gonna vomit cause everything is spinning after the sprint, and you almost feel like you’re gonna pass out or vomit, or both?
I am ashamed to say I really, really am starting to like the pain…I’m afraid there might be no hope for me? What say you?
I don’t care for pain. I don’t mind discomfort, that’s what I associate with racing. To me pain is like having scalding hot coffee poured down your back. I had that happen to me when I was 7, that was true pain. I’m fairly sure I would not do triathlons if racing hard felt like that.
I think we’re in this sport due to frustrations in other aspects of our lives, even if we can’t put a finger on it (getting old, lousy at work, have always been bad at sports, etc.). My life is great, nothing I can put a finger on, and yet when I’m pushing hard on the bike and my legs are burning I get so angry with them and make them hurt more and I channel the anger–the energy into them and subsequently the cranks. I can lose myself in the pain. I am disgusted at their pleas to slow down and enjoy hurting them for their weakness.
Is it because I was not hugged enough as a kid? Is that why I like to run so fast I cannot even think properly and my entire life is distilled down to one more minute of this agony or just one more half lap?
Or is it because we know that the more one hurts, the better one can feel by contrast; there is no good without evil and no delight and happiness without pain in the psyche that we can remember so clearly.
If you’re not following, give me a better reason besides “I like to accomplish things” that you train for hours every week in a uniquely painful pursuit. Nobody winning their age group is in it for the health.
Sprint races: Lungs feel like they are bleeding from lack of O2. It only takes place for the last 10 minutes MAX.
1/2 ironman-ironman: Your parts feel as if they are slowly trying to abandon your body. It takes hours for this to occur.
These are very different types of pain. Personally, I like the sprints as I dont have to suffer too long and once the race is over, I am brand new in two minutes. Endurance stuff wrecks your week afterwards.
Thats why i like the sprints / oly more.
Is it because I was not hugged enough as a kid? Is that why I like to run so fast I cannot even think properly and my entire life is distilled down to one more minute of this agony or just one more half lap?
This is a good thread topic.
I very much enjoy how much fast swimming and running hurts. I haven’t found that particularly painful spot with cycling yet. I like sets on intervals that I can barely make, I like the sharp pain of sprinting or the familiar ache that settles into my shoulders on distance sets. Running I like that even though it hurts, you are FLYING as if you’re ice skating.
There is something nice about a feeling so encompassing that it takes away everything else, it is that one point that I can just FEEL. And not think about it.
Physical pain is much more tolerable to me than emotional pain - if I am anxious/upset/sad/overwhelmed/angry/lonely/unhappy/etc/etc/etc, the first thing I want is a really fast (or long) run or a really hard swim workout. Because then you get lost in that pain, and just forget everything else. (Occassionally, you forget the class you were supposed to go to too, but that’s besides the point…) I’ll walk to class after swimming still breathless, and savoring that feeling.
I’m not sure if I’m explaining it well - but I know exactly what you mean.
I think there are a lot of closet BDSM people here.
Seriously though, I used to really hate the sore legs feel days after really hard workouts. Now it’s more like a badge of honor (to pull out a cheesy reference) that says I dun good. As long as it’s not a tendon or something of course. But at the end of a really hard 50 miler Saturday I took great pleasure in punishing a local roadie who was hanging on my wheel. It hurt like hell but it was good to pull someone at 25+ and have him come up next to me and say “hell that hurt…that was a lot faster than I wanted to go.” A few years back I know I didn’t have the mental toughness to keep going that hard when my legs were screaming at me.
I am right there with you. I love the pain. Funny thing though, I have very little feeling in my legs. I basically pick up no pain sensation. So, I don’t get the burning sensation or really sore. But, I do experience the puking thing. Happens everynow and again. I think I like the pain more now then ever.
i love the pain. sometimes it sucks, but when it gets tough, and you come up on someone else, and you see their face, and know its hurting them maybe just a little bit more, it makes it better. but then there are those days where it goes the other way round, those are the ugly days.
There is an interesting article on pain in Outside magazine (not sure if it’s the current issue or not). But, the writer goes to a pain lab at Stanford to undergo some testing. I wish he would have elaborated more, but he does have a few interesting points. Namely, people who have been subjected to a lot of pain (soldiers, athletes, women who have been through childbirth) have a higher pain tolerance. So, I guess that cheesy slogan is true: pain is weakness leaving the body.
Westley: No. To the pain.
Prince Humperdinck: I don’t think I’m quite familiar with that phrase.
Westley: I’ll explain and I’ll use small words so that you’ll be sure to understand, you warthog faced buffoon.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
To me, it isn’t the pain that I enjoy, it is breaking through that pain. If I’m suffering up some monster climb and my legs are burning I’m not really enjoying the moment, but afterwards, once I am on top, I feel great, even if my legs are still on fire.
But there’s also that Steve Prefontaine quote about knowing the other guy is hurting just as much as you are, but also knowing that you can take more pain than the next guy…
I need work on pushing through discomfort and pain. Every Marathon I have (after 19 miles or so) is a bargaining with the pain and fighting off the ineveitable walk
I think we’re in this sport due to frustrations in other aspects of our lives, even if we can’t put a finger on it (getting old, lousy at work, have always been bad at sports, etc.). My life is great, nothing I can put a finger on, and yet when I’m pushing hard on the bike and my legs are burning I get so angry with them and make them hurt more and I channel the anger–the energy into them and subsequently the cranks. I can lose myself in the pain. I am disgusted at their pleas to slow down and enjoy hurting them for their weakness.
Is it because I was not hugged enough as a kid? Is that why I like to run so fast I cannot even think properly and my entire life is distilled down to one more minute of this agony or just one more half lap?
Or is it because we know that the more one hurts, the better one can feel by contrast; there is no good without evil and no delight and happiness without pain in the psyche that we can remember so clearly.
If you’re not following, give me a better reason besides “I like to accomplish things” that you train for hours every week in a uniquely painful pursuit. Nobody winning their age group is in it for the health.
Ahemmm… my therapist told me I needed to engage in frequent, intense exercise sessions. I definitely use it to vent my anger.