rjones28 

High School cross country team. We trained hard and had a lot of fun suffering. I also had an early HTFU moment then. I ran the last part of the season with ingoing toenails, because we were in the hunt for winning the county championship and the procedure would have sidelined me. We won it, so my suffering paid off.

On the bike... I enjoy putting out the effort. It's been that way since the beginning.

BarryJo

Easy, my very first Tuesday night group ride. I wanted to quit right then and there. But when it was over and I keeled over with legs in pain and wanted to puke. It was the best feeling I'd ever experienced.
It only got better when I did my first race. That was real suffering, but completely rewarding when it was over.
Now it's to the point where on most rides, if there isn't any suffering it isn't any fun.

Blackdays

+1

Randy!

Let's split the difference and call it 15%.

Actually, this guy calls it 16% for 150 yards. His individual readings are at the very bottom of the page

And he's got a whole bunch more data, too, so you can precisely tailor where and when to suffer.

tallmantim

When I discovered that my ability on the bike goes up in proportion to the amount of suffering time put into it - so this year.

petalpower

When I started riding with all the local racers.

andrewluke

ditto.

f4rrest

When I was 10 and we lived in the desert foothills where there were only steep hilly dirt roads, a house every half mile or so, and wild neighbor dogs running free. Got to where I could outrun them on that heavy single speed bmx bike up any grade.

fauxto nick

I learned to love suffering from rock climbing, it just transferred over onto the bike well.

Beaker

When I realized that it is through suffering that we improve, and that although it may hurt at the time, the suffering doesn't last, but the achievement does.

umd

I think you truly learned suffering that day on Gibraltar

banerjek

One reward for suffering is watching others suffer worse. There is a certain amount of sadism in cycling.

tallmantim

Yes - when you are feeling strong this is great!

One time I had a friend who is an excellent climber on my wheel - I knew he was tiring and when I heard the "ding-ding-ding" of a gear change (down), I quickly changed UP and stood up, putting him into more suffering!

We finished the climb together, with him sprinting for the end, but it is a lot of fun with the right people (it's great to ride with people who can suffer at the same level as you!)

umd

I love hammering on the front of a group or race and looking back and seeing 50-100 guys strung out single file behind.

Stealth'd

I still don't like suffering.

Dr. Banzai

After my metric century.

I look down while I'm sprinting now and can see results from the suffering. Then I go home and suffer some more. My wife never offers a leg massage. Crap, do I need one.

mustang1

When I got onto BF and realized suffering was supposed to be fun. It still isn't.

colombo357

I find the steepest climbs more enjoyable than trying to get up early in the morning after 4-5 hours of sleep.

electrik

Maybe you guys should take up leather and whips in the offseason! I'm sure there are some dom's out there looking for some submissives!

No suffering, no end to suffering.

electrik

OP:

wheelgrabber

I have never felt as alive climbing in the Rockies on some climb near Breckenridge. I was touring solo cross country doing 100 mile days on my Aegis CF with a Bob trailer. I had sh_t for gearing(no money to buy a triple) and they hadn't invented the compact yet. I hit this 1 mile climb that is something like 15-20 %. I am light and fit as hell, having all ready ridden with the 45 lb trailer for a 1000 miles. I am riding out of the saddle, swinging the bars back and forth as far as they could. One massive step with each rotation. Deepest breathing I've done in my entire life. I considered getting off the bike at one point, but I thought it would be harder to walk up this beast. Litterly one breath per rotation. I am 3/4 of the way up and a Toyota Corrolla goes by me at 30 miles/hr, engine screaming. I thought I heard the engine say" what the f_ck are doing up here you idiot. Stellar.....

Ziltoid

I had to embrace suffering from my first ride.

pdedes

but way more masochism. there was a great article to which bob roll contributed ~18 years ago, talking about the 3% rule in cycling. 97% of the time should be spent in abject suffering because for the remaining 3% of the time, you'll get the reward of great form and a feeling of effortless application of power. also, he hated the carrot soup.

socalrider

The joy does not come from suffering itself but when you get strong enough to make your friends suffer just to hold your wheel.. That is when it is fun..

grolby

Yep, I have to admit - the real pay-off in cycling is being able inflict pain in others. The feeling of power when you are stronger than the other riders you are with is pretty heady. I miss that feeling.