During triathlon training last year (which feels like a few lifetimes ago) a friend gave me a piece of advice before my first race of the season: when you're in the race, she said, keep reminding yourself about how good you're feeling, even when you're not feeling that good. Say to yourself, "Feeling good? Feeling great! Feeling good? Feeling great!" It sounds hokey, but it got me up and over some insane hills in those insane races. And I'm thinking of that today, not because I'm considering ever training or participating in a triathlon again—those days are long gone—and not because I need to push myself through back pain. I'm chanting that simply because, one week after back surgery, I'm not only feeling good, I'm feeling great.