The rival who beat you all season is the reason you got faster. Send a nod their way.

Rivals do your training for you. Somebody faster forced you into sessions you would have skipped, made you find a second gear you did not know about, and set a number you could not argue with, which no amount of encouragement would have done. Losing to them repeatedly is the reason your times came down. The resentment is understandable and the debt is real.

Send them a nod, at the next meet or in a message. Then pick the harder draw on purpose rather than the one you can beat.