are you a masochistic cyclist?

[librarian]

There's Pain and Suffering. And then there's Misery. Not to be confused.

Pain and Suffering is when you're redlining, pushing hard, maybe harder then ever before. Yes it hurts but thats because you're operating at 100%, pushing on because you can.
 
Then there's Misery. Misery often features pain and suffering, and lashings of bad weather, but not necessarily so.

Riding through pain is exhilarating. Misery has no redeeming features

The difference between them is motivation.

If you're motivated you can take on anything, and there is no pain.

If you're not, then you just "don't want to be there", and there is no reward.