The pain........

People ask me why I enjoy cycling so much... I say, tongue only half in cheek, "the pain... I enjoy the pain." The burning legs and lungs going up a steep hill (in my case any hill), the ache in your forearms after hours in the saddle... no pain in the arse that went numb ages ago. The hurting feet and fact that you're elated when you finally get off the bike. I could never really explain the pain to someone who hasn't done it. I came accross this quote which sums it up perfectly. Those that don't cycle will say "you're just crazy"... those that do will nod gently in understanding... :D

"To be a cyclist is to be a student of pain....at cycling's core lies pain, hard and bitter as the pit inside a juicy peach. It doesn't matter if you're sprinting for an Olympic medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you're missing the essence of the sport. Without pain, there's no adversity. Without adversity, no challenge. Without challenge, no improvement. No improvement, no sense of accomplishment and no deep—down joy. Might as well be playing Tiddly—Winks."
Scott Martin... I don't know who Scott Martin is but he sums it up beautifully.