understanding modern English

Yesterday Stacey and I went to the big city to get running shoes, among other things. Well, while we were at the shoe store, we got to chatting with the guys helping us try on shoes. The one guy is apparently an ultra runner who had not too long ago done a 100-mile race... but he hadn't quite been able to finish. He said however that he was glad that had happened, because then he did some real damage in the next race he ran.

He said this twice and both times I struggled mentally with his enjoyment of damaging his body by running too hard... only to realize he meant he had done well in the race.