it just doesn't mean as much unless there's some kind of suffering involved

Lance Armstrong has been quoted as saying "It just doesn't mean as much unless there's some kind of suffering involved." The competition, the training, the solitude, the unending grind of all the effort and energy and exhaustion and sweat and concentration and juggling of schedules and friends and work and classes and time time time...It just doesn't mean as much unless there's some kind of suffering involved.

Why? It's like your parents told you: You'll never understand the value of something until you pay the price. Because only then do you realize what it took to earn it. It's not about the money--you can't go out and buy a magic suit that makes you an Ironman. It's not about the GUs and gels and energy drinks--you can't go out and eat something that makes you Uber-human. It's not about the bike, or wetsuit, or shoes, or racing suit or stopwatch or sunglasses or timing chip or wristband. At the end of the day, after the 6am rush out of the starting chute, after the eternity of the swim and bike and run, after the chaos of transitions and the rush of the finish line party, it's not about anything you buy or eat or wear. At the end of the day, it's about nothing more than the energy and effort and 2-a-day practices and sacrifice and commitment to time and distance and time and distance and time and distance. Every day. Each and every day. For nothing more than crossing the finish line and keeping a t-shirt and holding a piece of metal called a finisher's medal. And yet, you'll wear the remember the finish line, wear the t-shirt, and look at the finisher's medal, and you'll swear it's one of the most valuable things you'll have ever done.

Why? Because you know the price you paid to earn it. You know what it took to get it. You know what it means. And it just wouldn't have meant as much unless there was some kind of suffering involved.