Riding injured - why do we?

[Martin318is]

Its even more obvious than usual this year that cyclists have a completely different attitude to pain and discomfort than most sports people. Sure, players of team sports may sprain or break something but they either take time off or get heavily medicated. Cyclists though will get straight back on the bike and try to ride. They will only give up if they know they can't catch back on or stay in the time limit.

Why is it that a rider will continue a race when they know there is nolonger any chance of a good finish? Why do we train when we have a perfect reason to rest instead? Why is that riders I know - including myself will continue to ride and train when they are carrying multiple breaks?

Maybe I could summarise it as - why are cyclists so much tougher than "normal" people?

 

[Red Lobster]

Anyone who pursues racing with any devotion has come to terms with the reality that it requires suffering - and in fact success is in no small degree dependent upon one's ability to suffer. So, it's not so surprising that such lunatics readily carry on when confronted with injury and pain.

 

[durianrider]

Its your job and you dont call in sick if you can work eh? Especially if you got a few million people cheering you..

And you just never know how fast your body will heal..cos the pain we have today might be less or more tommorrow so lets make the decision then..

the cliche is 'take it one day at a time..'

 

[Bob Sanders]

Hurt and injured are two very different things. I would guess that almost every soccer, american football, aussie football or rugby player regularly plays hurt almost to the point of injured. For the record I consider injured to be the point that performance suffers too much to continue playing(see collarbone in cycling).

As a huge american football fan it is very common to hear about players continuing to play with broken ribs or basically anything that doesn't affect their speed and strength too much. Its important to note that ankle sprains can cause a serious decline in performance in the aforementioned sports because lateral cuts are very important so the players are often held out by coaches and/or doctors.

In general athletes are competitors and will fight almost regardless of sport, I had a kid on my HS basketball team taking 15+ Advil/day for back pain because it was his last year and he didn't want to miss time. In retrospect that was complete insanity.

 

[McClimber]

Well, the case with me is that you get high when you exercise. There is the draw to get out and play. Endorphins baby.

All athletes, Pro or Amateur, go out and suffer. I bet money has little to do with it. There is pride and self accomplishment.

As for cyclists being the toughest out there. No way.

“Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway

"Climbing is one of the few sports in which the arena (the cliffs, the mountains and their specific routes) acquire a notoriety that outpopulates, outshines and outlives the actual athletes." — Jonathan Waterman.

 

[Archibald]

Anyone who pursues racing with any devotion has come to terms with the reality that it requires suffering - and in fact success is in no small degree dependent upon one's ability to suffer. So, it's not so surprising that such lunatics readily carry on when confronted with injury and pain.

I was once told that to win, "you just have to hurt more than the other guy"

 

[forty four]

Well, the case with me is that you get high when you exercise. There is the draw to get out and play. Endorphins baby.

All athletes, Pro or Amateur, go out and suffer. I bet money has little to do with it. There is pride and self accomplishment.

As for cyclists being the toughest out there. No way.

“Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway

"Climbing is one of the few sports in which the arena (the cliffs, the mountains and their specific routes) acquire a notoriety that outpopulates, outshines and outlives the actual athletes." — Jonathan Waterman.

i would have to disagree what does hemingway know about sport anyways was he not a drunk writer if i recall.

 

[forty four]

as for bullfighting yeah hardest sport if your the bull. i have seen bullfighting pathetic sport like dog fighting.