Compared to team athletes, individual athletes are on their own. They are measured solely by their personal performance. So if you finish tenth in a race, you were slower than nine other runners. And one's own running performance can only be determined by oneself. In contrast to team sports, in running or cycling it is not possible to relate the bad or good result to other people. The individual athlete needs a much higher degree of self-reflection, self-discipline and self-criticism. The psychological strain can be enormously high. No wonder that many famous individual athletes help themselves with various motivational sayings.
„It wasn't the easiest of routes but I felt my strength, my limitations, my loves. I didn't allow myself to become a prisoner of other people's opinions or expectations. This was my life! And you know, in my dreams I continue to cycle, in my dreams my legs are young and the wind dances along with me singing: Alfonsina, Alfonsina.“ (Alfonsina Strada)
„Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.“ (Lance Armstrong)
„Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.“ (Eddy Merckx)
„The Race Is Won By The Rider Who Can Suffer The Most.“ (Eddy Merckx)
„To me it doesn't matter whether it's raining or the sun is shining or whatever: as long as i'm riding a bike I know i'm the luckiest guy in the world.“ (Mark Cavendish)