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September 03, 2014 You Perform Better When You're Competing Against a Rival A runner can be expected to finish a 5 kilometer race about 25 seconds faster, on average, if a personal rival is also running, according to a study by Gavin J. Kilduff of New York University of 184 races conducted by a running club. Although past research has shown that competition imposed on strangers can be demotivating, Kilduff's findings suggest that longstanding personal rivalries between similar contestants can boost both motivation and performance. SOURCE: Driven to Win: Rivalry, Motivation, and Performance

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