I was out last night doing hill repeats in the frigid rain until I was soaked, frozen and miserable. I was talking about this with a friend and fellow rider today. He agreed, there is a joy in the agony that comes with riding and if you don’t enjoy suffering to at least some degree, biking might just not be your thing. I think Boonen’s quote after winning the 2009 Paris Roubaix is poignant… 

“The race is all about surviving, surviving, surviving; I know I didn’t feel great, but maybe others felt worse”