Enduring What Others Cannot

Only when you can endure what others cannot, can you do what others cannot.

When we sign up for a challenge, we expect it to test our ability to endure. That’s what we pay for, after all. So, we prepare ourselves for the struggle, relying on our motivation to push through.

However, success in sport isn’t just about enduring; it’s about becoming the kind of person who can endure.

To some degree, endurance is innate- some people are naturally better at it. But it’s also highly trainable. That’s the purpose of practice: to develop your ability to endure what others cannot. Just like running a marathon, enduring discomfort is something that can be trained. Through consistent training, your body adapts, learning to withstand increasing levels of discomfort. More importantly, your mind adapts too, learning to accept greater discomfort.

When an athlete doubts their ability to finish a race, it’s often not just their body that’s unprepared- it’s their mind. They haven’t done the mental work necessary to build endurance.

A common mistake athletes make is trying to rush this process. Just like a runner who increases their mileage too quickly, an athlete must not push beyond their limits prematurely. When they do, it’s often their ego at play. They try to compensate for a lack of preparation by punishing themselves in one session, as if that proves toughness. It doesn’t- it just proves recklessness.

Only when you've done the work that others have not can you endure what others cannot.

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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