Greg LeMond is a former professional cyclist who has won the Tour de France three times. He knows a thing or two about pushing oneself to the extreme of their capabilities. Despite having been one of the fastest bicyclists in the world, LeMond spoke the truth when he said
“It never gets easier, you only go faster.” -Greg LeMond
While I do not race road bicycles, I know exactly what LeMond is talking about. The pain one feels during their first exercise is the exact same pain that they will encounter during their 1,000th exercise. The pain never goes away. Instead, one feels the same pain but at a faster pace or higher number of repetitions.
This quote also hints at the idea that making progress on an activity is reliant on one’s ability to embrace pain.