Giving up?

At what point to you decide to just give up? It depends I suppose, in a bike race at least for me there are several key moments that I find it prudent to give up.
Example 1. In a crit once you are getting lapped and our good friend Phil pulls you, then it is time to give up. But I don’t give up before that ‘cause you never know what can happen to slow stuff up and catch back on (although that has never happened to me once they have been totally out of sight). So, until pulled it becomes cornering practice and a $20+ workout.
Example 2. In a road race I would possibly say when the follow car passes you but, I have been passed by the follow car and DIDN’T give up passed the follow car and worked my but off to catch back on. Walla Walla for instance I did this a whopping 5 times. I know, I know why did I keep getting dropped? I will never know but it must have something to due with not tucking in and holding a darn wheel! So I have to choose a different moment, hmmm I only give up if my bike fails me or my body screams “uncle!”
Even when I see those flashing lights head over the horizon out of sight I don’t usually give up, I practice TTing. If you know me, you know that I hate to TT so that is saying something ;)
Example 3. When you are on a team training ride ( these are technically not races but some days you have to wonder) and there is that all important sprint point, you are on down to 3 gulps in the water bottle and one Cliff shot and you are riding with da' boys. Now that is time to give up and not spend the last match, Ballard is a long way from Mercer Island.

Now life is not a bike race, although I am sure there are plenty of analogies that can be drawn from this fabulous sport. :) I am wondering in life when do I give up?

Like with my illness, when should I have given up? Well never, that is part of what was so scary, I had to keep going even without knowing if it would ever end. Giving up would never have been an option for me, my body would have had to give up without my consent.

Basically I don’t give up easily I endure as much as I can. This is especially true with those that I love. I guess I am wondering with those that you hold closest when is it time give up? When your heart and your feelings keep getting bruised how many times before you say "uncle"? I try to be understanding, empathetic and forgive when I can. But when you keep getting knocked down at what point do you pick yourself back up, brush off all the dirt, turn and walk away not to look back? I don’t have that answer today. Once upon a time I did, there was a crystal clear moment when the pain out weighed the love. I am a Libra and it is my birthday month, so I get to use my astrological sign for this metaphor which is… a scale. Right now that scale is in a pivotal balance ready to tip to either side and I don’t know which way it will go. Nothing crystal clear but that day must be coming soon.