Rick,
In the position I am in I get up to a 1,000 kids a competition call into the Kings Sport Store, some of those kids are really disappointed because they do not beat their pb, those that do have a smile that is better than a medal. To those that are disappointed I usually say “If you beat your pb every time you run pretty soon you will finish before the gun goes off”. I usually go on to say that I hope the kid that won thanked you for being in the race because without you and all those other kids that didn’t win they would be there on their own and it’s not much fun racing no one. If you come back next time I will put your photo in the front window.
pb’s and records happen, if you are not in it you will do neither, just remember to thank everyone in the race because one day you may be the one in front and it will be pretty sad if you run on your own.