Subjective reality wrote:
Sometimes I know I had a better kick but just didn’t use it. Or if I feel I had a lot left in the tank after the finish, then I know I really was better than the guy who beat me especially if they were not that far ahead.
I feel like if family or friends ask, it’s just easier to say I won, than to explain that I lost, but was better than the other guys and the result wasn’t a reflection of reality.
Of course you can say this. By now you should know the basic operating principles here: I am a blue collar runner who has earned everything by hard work. Anyone faster than me is a cheater. Thus, I always win.