When Winning Isn't the Goal

This past weekend, I raced another duathlon - and I won.

But before you 🙄 or scroll past with a quiet “of course you did,” please hear me out.

If you've followed my journey, you might’ve seen my post a few weeks ago about what happens when "When Winning Becomes the Expectation."

And that's exactly what made this race worth writing about - not because of the results (I was the last award, and by then, the race venue was stripped down, parking lot empty - except for the photographer and my dad), but because of what the result doesn't tell you.

It’s found in the execution.

While my finish time was within seconds of last year’s, everything about this race was different:

• I raced on a different bike, not ideal for this course, but ideal to master.

• The terrain and conditions shifted (it was a day after terrible flooding).

• My pacing had to adjust on the fly.

• And for the first time in years, I crossed the finish line without pain.

That’s the win. My Coach, Holly Benner, ACC reminded me:

"While your times look similar to last year’s, there’s a lot more behind this result that speaks to real progress. Racing on the TT bike this time added a new element, and you handled that transition with confidence. The trail conditions were different too, and we know how much that can impact pacing and rhythm. Most importantly: no back pain post-race! That’s huge. To come out of a strong effort like that feeling healthy and intact is a major step forward. Wins aren’t always just on the clock—this one came with smart execution, gear adaptation, and a resilient body. Let’s build from here."

👉 The ability to adapt to new tools and environments.

👉 The ability to stay present when the course throws a curveball.

👉 The ability to push hard and walk away strongly.

At Exemplary Performance, we talk about this all the time: Performance isn’t just about achieving outcomes. It’s about repeatability under changing conditions. It’s about designing systems that hold up—not just when everything goes right, but when variables shift (and they always will).

Sometimes, what looks like “same result” on the surface is actually growth in disguise. 🎭

This race was a reminder that we don’t always need to go faster to be better. Sometimes, better is being smarter, more resilient, and more in sync with yourself.

That’s what I’m building—from the road to the clients we serve.

Let’s keep chasing performance that holds up to real-world conditions.

Onward. 🚴♀️💨

💬When have you realized you were growing—even if the outcome didn’t look all that differently? What’s a recent ‘win’ for you that wouldn’t show up on a scoreboard?

(Thanks to Tim Gresh for the loaner bike and new hydration system. I think I figured it out!).