3:32 PM

Competition

It can be good, right?  In discussing this with my tri-friends this weekend, I realized that there are two types of competitive people - 1) the type that race to win (i.e., beat others - especially those with whom they train) and base everything on the rankings in the race; and 2) those who are competitive with themselves and like to use other's performances as a benchmark.  For me, if a training buddy does well, that's awesome! If we are training together (at the same pace), then it means that I should be able to do that to - or vice versa.

I'll admit, I like to use my friends as benchmarks.  For instance, Christy and Kathleen both had great races on Saturday at Gateway to the Bay.  In fact, I think that Christy may have had her best race ever - I'm still wondering when she got so fast.  It makes me happy to see them do well - because it means that I can as well - even if they are both much better swimmers than me.

So, for Gateway, I decided to 'game' the system and register as an Athena.  My goal was to see if I could place.  And that I did.  I walked away with a first place finish.... and, a run split that was absolutely fabulous.  My average pace for the run was a 7:42 (I think, definitely in the 7:40s).  I KNOW that this would've been a 5k PR for me... who'd have thought that I'd ever see 7s by my run time... And, I was quite pleased to know that I would've been competitive in my age group as well - granted, I would've had to chase Kathleen down... but, this way, we both win AND we both get rewarded for good races.

Anyway, as for the competition, I think that I'll keep it. I like my version of competition.  For me, its about having fun and doing my best.  And, I really don't see the problem of using others as benchmarks.  Seriously, if they can do it, why can't I. 

End of the day, competition is a way of life.  Yes, I am the type that believes that kids should not receive participant trophies -- you gotta teach the kiddos at a young age that there are winners and losers and that people will be ranked.  Those are the facts of life.  I do think that it is a delicate balance.  Everyone needs to be pushed to be at the top but everyone also needs to learn to fail.  You can't be a big fish in a small pond forever...

3 comments:

Heather and Jeff said...

Geez Cassie when did YOU get so fast!?!?!?! Huge CONGRATULATIONS on the first place finish- that's awesome! I guess if Kathleen getting fast means you can get fast, then you getting fast means I can get fast :D
PS- don't forget to register for Couples soon, it will probably sell out.

Amanda Porter Rosendahl said...

I totally agree about the kids learning to fail part. It makes a parents job so much harder than it should be, than it already is. I'm not looking forward to having to deal with Laine growng up in a world where things are handed to her outside of the home when she is going to have work for rewards with us. It's goign to make us the bad guys, and I am not even a little bit okay with that.

Love and Puppies, Christy said...

You did awesome! And dude, we totally BOTH got fast! So proud of us! Holy crap! Congrats to you!