--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cycling is so hard, the suffering is so…" description: "\"Cycling is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it’s absolutely cleansing. The pain is so deep and strong that a curtain descends over your brain..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/lance-armstrong-1639_brain_cycling-is-so-hard-the-suffering-is-so-i_1448098.jpg" --- # Cycling is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it’s… ![“Cycling is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it’s absolutely cleansing. The pain is so deep and strong that a curtain descends over your brain….Once; someone asked me what pleasure I took in riding for so long. ‘PLEASURE???? I said.’ ‘I don’t understand the question.’ I didn’t do it for…” quote by Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/lance-armstrong-1639_brain_cycling-is-so-hard-the-suffering-is-so-i_1448098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/lance-armstrong-1639_brain_cycling-is-so-hard-the-suffering-is-so-i_1448098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/lance-armstrong-1639_brain_cycling-is-so-hard-the-suffering-is-so-i_1448098.jpg) > “Cycling is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it’s absolutely cleansing. The pain is so deep and strong that a curtain descends over your brain….Once; someone asked me what pleasure I took in riding for so long. ‘PLEASURE???? I said.’ ‘I don’t understand the question.’ I didn’t do it for the pleasure; I did it for the pain.” [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense physical suffering can feel purifying, and the pursuit of pain can become a source of purpose beyond pleasure. **In simple terms:** Pain can be cleansing and motivating. Key Takeaway Embrace challenge as growth. Themes pain purification purpose Mood intense reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports training - personal adversity - mental resilience Key Concepts endurance psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - Why do you seek pain over pleasure? - How can you balance suffering with recovery? A Different Perspective Pain may lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Cleansing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleansing/) [Curtains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curtains/) [Cycling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycling/) [Cycling Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycling-hard-5200675/) [Hard Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-suffering-5200677/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riding/) [Riding Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riding-long-5200676/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-intense-2948405/) ## Related quotes > [There are some of us who in after years say to Fate, 'Now deal us your hardest blow, give us what you will; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olive-schreiner/there-are-some-of-us-who-in-after-years-say-to-fate-now-deal-us-your/) [Olive Schreiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olive-schreiner/) > [Their suffering is intense, widespread, expanding, systematic and socially sanctioned. 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Crashes were unavoidable in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-had-a-decision-to-make-to-me-it-wasn-t-a-hard-one-if-i-could-ride-i/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [What makes a great endurance athlete is the ability to absorb potenial embarrassment, and to suffer without complaint. I was discovering that if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/what-makes-a-great-endurance-athlete-is-the-ability-to-absorb-2/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Cycling is a sport of the open road and spectators are lining that road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/cycling-is-a-sport-of-the-open-road-and-spectators-are-lining-that/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [The Europeans look down on raising your hands. They don't like the end-zone dance. I think that's unfortunate. That feeling - the finish line,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/the-europeans-look-down-on-raising-your-hands-they-don-t-like-the-end/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [When I get home at night, then it's time for the real cleansing deal. I go to town either with the Clarisonic or ProActiv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-torres/when-i-get-home-at-night-then-it-s-time-for-the-real-cleansing-deal-i/) [Eve Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-torres/) > [I find the greatest songs in the world come out of pain, and I don't like it! Here's what it does: It strips away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-richie/i-find-the-greatest-songs-in-the-world-come-out-of-pain-and-i-don-t/) [Lionel Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-richie/) > [I use Bioderma. It's like a cleansing oil. I just use that to cleanse my face, I use moisturizer and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-consani/i-use-bioderma-it-s-like-a-cleansing-oil-i-just-use-that-to-cleanse/) [Alex Consani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-consani/) > [We must not forget; but we must forgive. Suffering often such compassion from the Jewish community. It was Jewish groups in the US who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/we-must-not-forget-but-we-must-forgive-suffering-often-such/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) ## More by Lance Armstrong > [I raced because I was paid to do a job and I felt like I had to do the job. Number two: I raced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-raced-because-i-was-paid-to-do-a-job-and-i-felt-like-i-had-to-do/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Regardless of one victory, two victories, four victories, there's never been a victory by a cancer survivor. That's a fact that hopefully I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/regardless-of-one-victory-two-victories-four-victories-there-s-never/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Average is Your Enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/average-is-your-enemy/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Hard work, sacrifice and focus will never show up in tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/hard-work-sacrifice-and-focus-will-never-show-up-in-tests/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Hope that is the only antidote to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/hope-that-is-the-only-antidote-to-fear/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Evan Handler is a man who’s looked into the abyss and laughed. His book, It’s Only Temporary, made me laugh along with him. 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It gives me motivation and it transcendsme like nothing else in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-love-this-race-from-the-very-depths-of-my-heart-it-gives-me/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Nothing goes to waste, you put it all to use, the old wounds and long-ago slights become the stuff of competitive energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/nothing-goes-to-waste-you-put-it-all-to-use-the-old-wounds-and-long/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [ I spent a long time trying to build up an organisation \[the Lance Armstrong Foundation that changed its name to Livestrong after his confession\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-spent-a-long-time-trying-to-build-up-an-organisation-the-lance/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [A bicycle is the long-sought means of transportation for all of us who have runaway hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/a-bicycle-is-the-long-sought-means-of-transportation-for-all-of-us/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [You know what they say, the high trees get the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/you-know-what-they-say-the-high-trees-get-the-wind/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Live strong is exactly I guess what it says. It's one thing to live, but it's another thing to live strong, to attack the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/live-strong-is-exactly-i-guess-what-it-says-it-s-one-thing-to-live/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [I've committed to surfing the rest of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-ve-committed-to-surfing-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [I would love to be in a place, and I may never get there, where I can help people. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' 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