The descent was one of the most technical and fastest I have ridden in a race. What took us almost two hours to get up took only fifteen minutes to get down. I think my max speed was around forty miles an hour. The physical element of racing is not the only hurdle riders have to overcome. The mental game plays a huge role in a racer's success.
Most athletes have to suffer for only a short period of time.
A cross country runner's race may last twenty minutes, but a mountain bike racer must prepare himself to suffer two to three hours. The majority of that suffering is going uphill. It takes a strong-willed person to go out everyday and know they are going to be in pain for that amount of time. But that's what makes this sport what it is. Many are not able to overcome the pain, but that's what leads to success.