🚴 Why I Ride With Pain: Lessons From David Goggins That Transformed My Recumbent Trike Journey 🚴
🌱 Some people ask me, “Why do you cycle such long distances if it hurts so much?”
They wonder if I’m chasing pain — as if I enjoy the ache in my knees, the fatigue, the friction. But what they don’t see is this:
I don’t cycle because of the pain — I cycle despite the pain.
And that, right there, is the difference between giving up… and rising up.
If you’ve ever battled arthritis, asthma, anxiety or depression — and still chosen to ride — then this post is for you. Let me share how David Goggins’ brutal honesty and relentless mindset gave me the tools to transform my trike touring experience into something sacred, powerful… and unstoppable.
✅ Pain Is Not the Goal — It’s the Side Effect of Passion
People sometimes compare what I do to masochism.
They see me pushing past 100 kilometers (62 (s)miles) with hurting knees and assume I must enjoy pain.
But that’s like saying a passionate guitarist plays just to bleed through his fingertips. 🎸
No. He plays because music is his life.
And like him, I ride because every tour brings me back to life.
Pain comes with it, yes — but it’s not the reason. It’s the price of presence.
Just as the guitarist’s partner learns to accept his worn-out fingertips,
the people in my life have learned to accept that my knees are worn out from chasing (s)miles and from other life challenges.
Because I will never stop riding.
🔧 What David Goggins Taught Me About Suffering and Purpose
Before I discovered David Goggins, I struggled to explain this drive.
But Goggins? He gets it. He lives it.
His life is one of brutal challenges — running ultramarathons on shattered feet, enduring asthma, facing deep childhood trauma, and even training with a hole in his heart.
And yet… he still shows up. Every single day.
He taught me the 40% Rule:
When you think you’re done, you’re only at 40% of what you’re truly capable of.
That idea reshaped my reality. Now when the pain kicks in, I know I’m not broken — I’m becoming.
He also taught me that suffering isn’t the enemy — it’s the training ground for greatness.
If you haven’t read his story yet, do yourself a favor:
👉 Can’t Hurt Me – Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
👉 Never Finished – Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within
These books are not just for athletes. They’re for anyone who refuses to be average.
💡 Pain Is Real — But So Is the Choice to Keep Going
Some nights I wake up with pain in my knees.
After a long cycling tour, I sometimes can’t walk properly for hours.
I have arthritis. I have asthma. I have a history of depression and anxiety.
And yet, when the sun rises, I get back on my trike.
Not because it’s easy — but because it’s necessary.
Necessary for my soul.
Necessary for the fire inside me that refuses to die quietly.
So the next time someone asks “Why do you keep cycling when it hurts?”,
I’ll smile and say:
“Because this is my music. And I was born to play.”
🗂️ Ride Like a Warrior: Goggins Mindset on Three Wheels
If you’re a recumbent trike rider dealing with injury, chronic pain, or self-doubt, try this:
✅ Listen to David Goggins while riding — his voice will carry you up every hill
✅ Embrace discomfort as a signal that you’re pushing your limits, not breaking
✅ Remind yourself: You’re not weak for feeling pain — you’re strong for riding anyway
Pain doesn’t mean you should stop.
Pain means you’re living on purpose.
It means you’re in the arena — not sitting on the sidelines.
🚲 Tools to Reinforce Your Ride & Mindset
🧠 Can’t Hurt Me – A life-changing book to master your inner voice
📕 Never Finished – Fuel for the next level of your transformation
🎧 Goggins interviews – Listen while cycling for maximum impact
🧩 Good gear – Don’t fight your equipment and your knees. Make it smooth, make it right.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does cycling with arthritis damage your knees more?
Not necessarily. On a recumbent trike, the motion is smoother and gentler on the joints than walking or running. It’s all about listening to your body and maintaining good alignment.
❓ Can David Goggins’ mindset really help with depression or anxiety?
Absolutely. His philosophy gives you structure, purpose, and daily mental tools to rise above emotional lows.
❓ What if I can’t do 100 km?
Then do 30 km. Or start with 10 km and build it up. But make it intentional. Make it count. Because it’s not about distance — it’s about direction.
📅 Long-Term Strategies for Riding Through Pain
Start slow, but stay consistent.
🔁 Alternate riding days with rest or stretching
💧 Stay hydrated and watch your inflammation
🧘♂️ Include mental training: meditation, breathwork, Goggins-style mirror talks
🎯 Focus on who you’re becoming, not just what you’re doing
Pain will visit — but you decide whether it controls you.
🏁 Final Thoughts
David Goggins reminded me that greatness isn’t reserved for superhumans — it’s built by ordinary people doing hard things daily.
If I can ride with asthma, arthritis, and a history of darkness,
then you can walk through your fire too — whatever that fire may be.
So take your pain, your doubts, your fears —
and ride with them.
Not because you want the pain.
But because you refuse to quit.
👉 Get Goggins’ books here and start your transformation
👉 And remember: stay hard, stay riding, stay free
