Before I became an endurance mountain biker I was a runner. It was a sport I picked up after many years of walking for exercise. I was in search of something that would be an adventure, something to get me out the door. I was constantly looking for a "something" that would give me back a little bit more then just exercise.
I remember reading a quote in one of my running magazines that said, "Keep a smile on your face while you're running so others will think it's fun to." When I was a child, my mom said I used to smile at everyone, all the time. I suppose that's why the smile comes naturally when I'm having fun or when I'm in pain.
There have been several occasions in the past few weeks where I was in the middle of a workout and extremely uncomfortable. I rolled through the usual internal banter about being an idiot for doing the workout in the first place and then I crested the hill where I could just about see the final rep. I started smiling, it still hurt, but it also felt exceptionally fantastic to have won another battle with those demons that tell you to throw in the towel.
I'm not sure if it makes me less of a competitor to have a smile on my face, but to be fair, I think there's also a lot of other expressions that parade across my face when I'm in pain. I think the smile stands out because it's the least grotesque.
I've decided that when I don't want to smile anymore during a ride or a WOD, that's when I'm going to throw in the towel. That's when the pain and/or the exercise just won't be worth the price of admission. I like the crossfit quote, "Do something that sucks every day...", but I think I'll add to it and say, "Do something that sucks and makes you smile every day..."
I think I once read somewhere how it is good to smile while exerting yourself. A smile doesn't tense up your face nearly as much as a grimace, so relax and smile while you train. It really does make it easier!
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