Why do you consider a pistol competition to be a poor option? It is MUCH better than any static range work and you don't need to shoot at a person shaped silhouette to learn the skills to defend yourself.
I read in Guns and Blammo once that IPSC will get you killed on the street and competitive shooting does nothing to make you a better shooter in the real world.
You know I like my coffee sweet in the morning
and I'm crazy about my tea at night