Why are we so competitive

Recently I was talking to a friend of mine who just got the Wahoo Kickr.  Since him and I spoke a few months ago when I got mine, it was natural for the 2 of us to talk about his new purchase.  As time went on we found out we are both using the program TrainerRoad for our workouts.  For those of you who don't know what TrainerRoad is, it basically controls your Kickr (or other resistance trainer) for you.  You just pick the course you want to ride, and based on where you are at during a given ride, TrainerRoad will communicate with the Kickr to either add or decrease resistance.  I have to say, its an awesome program and I can feel how much stronger I am getting.

Anyway, back to the story.  As we went back and forth we started speaking about our FTP, power outputs, courses we ride, how long we can sustain rides, and stuff like that.  It was great to hear how both of us were using the programs and getting the benefits.  The problem was, as we kept talking it was like we were trying to one-up each other. I actually couldn't care less about one-upping him since we are 2 totally different riders.  He rides for fun on a road bike, while I train on my Tri bike.  He is definitely a stronger cyclist than I am.  He loves to ride, where I love to run.  He weighs about 50 pounds more than me so of course his natural wattages will be higher than mine.  But it just seems like the more we spoke, the more we were comparing ourselves to each other.

He asked for my TrainerRoad ID so he can check my rides, which is really cool, as I got his and have been looking at his.  Which got me thinking.  Why do I care what other people are doing?  I have no idea, but now I keep trying to out do him and his weekly rides.  I want to have a higher TSS, IF, and better rides than him.  I want my NP to be so much more than him, but I weight 50 pounds lighter.  He should have a higher NP than me naturally.  But for what reason do I care so much?  We are 2 totally different people and not competing with each other.  So why do I care what he's doing?

I guess it's just naturally ingrained in us to be competitive.  I am randomly getting emails from him showing me a certain workout he did, and I thus feel compelled to share with him mine.  Every one of us is competitive.  Its just a question of how large or small.  The wife is competitive with her friends, but obviously to a different degree.  She wants to have a better party than her friends, have Riley walk, talk, or do something faster/better than his friends, have a better SoulCycle class than her friends, go on a better vacation, etc.  It makes no sense.  Her being competitive with her friends has no relevance on our lives.  We have a great life and we both know it. Yet, if one of her friends does something, she gets so mad and has to out do them. 

I understand why we are competitive when training or racing, but I just don't understand why we are so competitive in our daily lives.  It's just something we all do, but for no good reason.