Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World's Fastest Cyclists

by Michael Hutchinson

For professional cyclists, going faster and winning are, of course, closely related. Yet surprisingly, for many, a desire to go faster is much more important than a desire to win. Someone who wants to go faster will work at the details and take small steps rather than focusing on winning. Winning just happens when you do everything right – it’s the doing everything right that’s hard. And that’s what fascinates and obsesses Michael Hutchinson.

With his usual deadpan delivery and an awareness that it’s all mildly preposterous, Hutchinson looks at the things that make you faster – training, nutrition, the right psychology – and explains how they work, and how what we know about them changes all the time. He looks at the things that make you slower, and why, and how attempts to avoid them can result in serious athletes gradually painting themselves into the most peculiar life-style corners.

Faster is a book about why cyclists do what they do, about what the riders, their coaches and the boffins get up to behind the scenes, and about why the whole idea of going faster is such an appealing, universal instinct for all of us.

Genres: Cycling, Sports, Nonfiction, Science, Fitness, Bicycles

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2014

About the author

Michael Hutchinson (or "Hutch") is a British racing cyclist and writer who has represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at events including the Commonwealth Games. His speciality is the individual time trial, but he has also won important races on the track. In 2003 he briefly held the national record for the 100 mile Time Trial; he covered the distance in 3 hours and 23 minutes. He also currently holds the 50 mile and 10 mile national records.

He has made two unsuccessful attempts at the hour record, the first of which forms the basis of his 2006 book The Hour. This won him the award for Best New Writer at the 2007 British Sports Book Awards.

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faster was actually a fun book for athletic enthusiasts. Hutchinson explores what goes on in the minds of a pro athlete. Ostensibly about cycling, there is only one chapter specific to bicycling…ok one and half, and the rest is really about the type of obsession one needs to be a functioning high level pro athlete. Ok more than 1.5 chapters but the main thing is that there is a lot that a pro cyclist has in common with professional athletes in other sports. The physiology, the nutrition, the obsession with the minute details of the sport, the psychology of winning etc. It's a very interesting journey.

Hutchinson starts with telling the reader a little about himself. Full disclosure, I was obviously going to like the book and him after reading this quote:

I never meant for any of this to happen. I never even wanted to be an athlete. My ambition was to be an academic lawyer, and by my mid-twenties that’s exactly what I was. I taught slightly left-wing civil liberties and human rights courses to first-year undergraduates at Sussex University. Since most of the students had their hearts set on becoming big-shot lawyers for major corporations, my job was overshadowed by the unspoken irony that my flock was almost certainly going to spend more time oppressing minorities than defending them.

An accidental cyclist with progressive leanings follows his passion. Alright, now that he has me emotionally, he then breaks the rest of it up into 7 easy chapters:

Chapter 1 Like a racehorse: the art of being an Athlete - This is a chapter about passion for the sport. An obvious requirement. But he also goes into the kinds of normal things/lifestyle choices that you give up to be good at your craft.

You can’t rely on being inspired by anyone else. You have to want it yourself.

He starts talking about how you evaluate what to do with your discretionary downtime.

All the time you ask yourself, ‘Will it make me tired. Is there any risk I’ll pick up an injury? Will I get an infection?’ These are reasons to avoid standing up, walking, and staying awake. Or leaving the house for any purpose other than training.

Chapter 2 Blood, oxygen and muscle: the physiology of an athlete In this chapter Hutchinson goes into detail about the physiology of athletes. The compositions of muscles are dependent on their specialty. How the sprinters use muscles and energy differently than the endurance riders (presumably similar differences for runners, swimmers etc). How bodies use oxygen differently and how some professional athletes really are superior in physiology that helps them to be competitive. There was nothing new in this chapter but Hutchinson did approach it in a manner that was both highly technical and understandable (for the most part) to the physiological novice.

Human physiology is so complicated that I find myself regularly regarding it as a proof against the theory of intelligent design, on the basis that absolutely no one would have set about designing something that was so convoluted, contradictory, and just plain messy.

Suffice it to say:

The pumping capacity of the heart is the single most important part of the endurance athlete package.

Chapter 3 1,400 calories an hour: fuelling an athlete - Needless to say athletes are hyper-concerned about their bodies. Specifically they don't want to carry any extra weight and they need to have access to energy for their races. As the title suggests, cyclists use 1,400 calories per hour racing and they race for 5-6 hours a day. It becomes really difficult to replace those calories and most cyclists are a really low percentage of body fat. There are no reserves. Funny when I watch the Tour de France, the cyclists are always eating. What they eat and how much is very calculated.

From a purely athletic point of view there are only three reasons to eat. One is to provide the energy to ride your bike, in racing or training. The second is to provide what you need to recover from long hard riding so that you can get up and do it again the next day – this is especially the case in long stage races, where calorie expenditures can top 7,000 a day. The third is to help your body adapt to the training.

The chapter was technical and informative.

Chapter 4 3.49.999: perfecting an athlete - This chapter was about the training philosophies and techniques toward staying competitive. Some methods are counterintuitive.

The single most important job a coach has is to tell you to stop, to take a rest, to recover. Team GB’s head coach, Shane Sutton, expressed it as, ‘You can’t over-train. But you can under-recover.

Of course there is always uncertainty and the athlete wants to train as hard as possible until the race.

It’s called the ‘taper’. It comes at exactly the point where you very badly want to cram, like you would for an exam. But you can’t. The switch from ‘training I’m going to do’ to ‘training I wish I’d done’ is instantaneous.

Chapter 5 A rider like a robot: the psychology of an athlete - This was different than you would expect. This wasn't a "visualize yourself winning the race" kind of chapter. More about tools for mental survival.

‘It’s not about being the best. It’s about being my best.’

Staving off the negative. The importance of emotional consistency. Emotions like a robot.

Normally it’s not so much rising to the occasion as not drooping to the occasion.

An overall voice inside your head that tells the basic truth about competition:

When it comes down to it, winning is absolute, losing is not, because there’s always a chance to pick yourself up and try again.

Absolutes kill the desire to reach for better (Monica's view not the author).

Chapter 6 Free speed: the technology - The first chapter specifically about cycling but again not what you would expect. Yes bikes were discussed, but more prevalent was the clothing. This chapter was about gaining an advantage through equipment. Free speed is speed gained without effort on the part of the athlete. Hutchinson makes an interesting observation.

The problem with all of this is that while it’s all free speed, it’s no use if everyone else has it too. In truth what I’ve been looking for all my life is free speed that only I have.

Chapter 7 Talent and Genetics - How much is nature vs nurture for professional athletes? Of course both but Hutchinson seems to be believe that except extreme cases, nurture is more important than nature.

Cycling is not a complex action. In terms of technique, the moment your dad lets go of you and you’re wobbling along on your own, you’ve pretty much got the whole package.

However Hutchinson notes for endurance athletes there are genetic differences:

For endurance riders, almost the whole difference between one end of the bell curve and the other is the ability to move oxygen. In practice, that’s about moving blood.

Afterword: The never-ending search - A fitting conclusion in which Hutchinson admits that the hunt is more satisfactory than actually achieving.

The whole art of fast bike riding is a process. The pleasure of it is not so much in the end result, but in the experiments and the discoveries.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had its highly technical/scientific moments…in fact more of that than not, but Hutchinson is very likable and he is a good writer. I like his mind. He has made the mundane, interesting and accessible…at least in my case. But I'm an unabashed wannabe fast cyclist who greedily consumes any information that can potentially help me. I think this book has appeal beyond cycling primarily among endurance athletes. For me, a very rewarding read (though much of it was over my head (and abilities)). Yes Ed, you should read this one!! ;-)

4 lovingly, determined and obsessive Stars

Read on kindle.

[David Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without going into too much detail about the book itself (partly because I don't think most non - cyclists would find this interesting , and largely because I'm writing this on my phone) I think this is a great opportunity to explain my kind of new - rating system. I used to reserve 5 stars for books that I think would be enjoyed by anyone , regardless of particular interest in the subject or genre (for instance 'Ender's game' for someone who doesn't usually like science fiction).
My new '5 star review' criteria is if someone asked me to recommend a single book to them for a first foray into a particular genre, would this be the book (or one of the books) ?
Cycling , training and physiology are all subjects I have extensive personal and professional experience in and have read a decent amount about, and I would recommend this book without hesitation if someone asked me for an excellent introduction into the obsessive world of elite cycling.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it but didn't understand all of it. I'm glad I tried, though. I wish I could get more of his books.

The main thing I got from his book was the question to ask myself when I eat or train or even in general - Does this make me faster? That's the perfect way to weigh in when I'm not sure about something - does it help me reach my goal?

[Ivor Kovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Hutchinson has achieved so much in cycling without actually reaching that very pinnacle of sport. Without actually becoming a winning pot. But he has achieved all of his successes clean and against the odds. He shares his vast insights gained by hard work, trial and error. His love of cycling is enormous and pure. A must read for anyone remotely interested in cycling.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book I would have never picked up had it not been for Quest Scouts. Even so, I almost abandoned it early as this is not my kind of book. I am pleased I stuck with it.

Today I was in the vehicle all day. Having downloaded the audiobook from Hoopla made for great companionship. Hutchinson (read by Simon Vance) has a wonderful sense of humor. I really like his British wit. I found myself chuckling aloud as I drove about Delaware today.

It's still not in my wheelhouse. There was far too many details on the minutia of bicycle racing for my tastes. Yes, granted, that is what this is about . . . kind of. I enjoyed the insight to elite training. I think Hutchinson did a wonderful job showing us that side of sport.

His descriptions, wry as they were, were engaging. At one point I pulled over to Google Hutchinson. I was struggling with something he said and what I was visualizing. That is when I realized he wasn't a road racer but a track rider. That hadn't been immediately apparent to me.

Hutchinson did a very good job of educating this layman as to the specifics of the sport. Lung capacity is huge because it adds oxygen to get into the blood, which is what the elite bicyclist needs. And as great as Hutchinson's lung capacity is, he is humble in noting that it is more than just genetics that creates the elite. Training, examining every detail is how the edges are found. Blood doping is "desirable" because that gets more oxygen into the system. Seams on clothing help create turbulence, which is desired. Aerodynamics are taken from motorsports, clothing from swimming, etc. The edges are minute, but there is no more physical training that can be gotten. Everyone is already working at maximum, therefore, the advantages come from the other components of the sport.

This ended up being an interesting listen. Thank you once again for putting me in touch with a book I would have otherwise never seen.

[Phloebus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nine years ago. Cycling is mainstream. British Cycling and Team Sky are dominant. The big names have yet to lose their lustre. Marginal Gains are the talk of the town.

Reading Hutchinson's book in 2023 filled me with nostalgia for a fresh-faced time when the future was now and the future was bright. New Labour in 1997, but on wheels.

That's not why I read it though. I read it for the science. There are chapters on technology, training, nutrition, psychology, genetics, and so on. All the components of going, well, Faster.

The book draws on the author's time as a professional cyclist and national champion who never quite made it to the next level, but moved in the circles of those who had. This question of what differentiates someone who is very very fast from the Olympic champion who is very very very fast provides the book's theme.

Anecdotes, self-deprecatory humour and a bit of light gossip provide cover for an awful lot of technical detail. The physiology underlying VO2max figures, what lactate threshold really is (and isn't), the difference between laminar and turbulent flow, to name just a few.

I run more than I ride, but I learned a lot from this book. It forms a good complement to 'The Sports Gene', by David Epstein. They both take a shot at explaining what makes a great sportsperson, but because the focus here is more narrow, what is is covered can be dealt with in more detail.

[Andrew Rubins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting!

If you are seeking to understand the whole marginal gains thing, if you want to know how obsessive you need to be to rise to the top, if you want to get insight into the attention to detail of the world’s best racing cyclists, this book will be a good read.
It covers a lot of ground but (appropriately) only in the areas it says it will. I would have liked more on the dedication and determination required - how these champions push themselves in training to the point of complete exhaustion. There was a little on this - how champions like training- but it’s an area that fascinates me and I’d love to read more about it.
What was absolutely engrossing reading was the quotes and comments from the people the author interviewed- Sir Chris Hoy etc.
Overall, very interesting and delivers what it promises!

[Dan Cohen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book by Michael Hutchinson, who returns to the crossover between sport, science, and autobiography that he has made his own. He explores through the device of his own attempts to get faster, various elements of sports science such as physiology, training, nutrition, psychology, technology, etc.

The writing is delightful and amusing. The subject matter, on this occasion, is a bit dry and has perhaps less of the autobiographical element that made some of his other books more fun to read. Nevertheless, this is a good read and recommended.

[Alan Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book!
It draws the right balance by combining self-deprecating humour with the science and physiology of elite sportsmen.
Given the subject matter, it could have been really geeky or analytical, but instead it is extremely informative and concise.
I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the things that can affect their sporting performance and how to make improvements (even if only marginal!).

[Matthew Danielson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes you feel firmly in the life of a dedicated cyclist, but is nearly as boring. The summary of the book is this: you eventually hit a very serious plateau, and the winners find inventive ways to shave a few seconds from the common plateau. It's an interesting idea and (I trust) reality, but railing that point for hundreds of pages gets quite boring.

[Lois Keller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was good but extreme. I felt like I was reading a book by a borderline unhinged person who decided to ride bikes. Some of his tips are good but I would cautiously recommend because of the obsessiveness

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone interesting in cycling. Hutchinson goes into great detail about exactly what is required from top level athletes, discussing human biology, genetics, doping, diets, and aerodynamics in a simple yet comprehensive way, and often through reflection of his own experiences.

[Matthias · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great and engaging read about what makes a fast bike rider! The fact that it's written by an insider makes it even more fun and intriguing, but sometimes it inclines to slight pretentiousness. Luckily the book is not devoid of any self-deprecating humor and sarcasm as well.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps a not very interesting book if you are not a cyclist, but as a cyclist who wants to be faster, it was fascinating. The book gives a lot of good history, as well as research on the pursuit of speed in cycling and how nutrition, training, and genes are all connected.

[Jim Dennison · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a cycling geek who loves the idea of cycling performance being scientific and deterministic then you’ll love this (I did!). It’s a dry subject presented with warmth, wit and personal experience which makes it easy to read and absorb. Recommended if you like going fast on a bike! 🙂👍🚴💨

[Rauno Villberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb stuff for a cycling nerd like me, even if I a) don't particularly care about going fast myself nor b) want to do actual "workouts" on the bike (at least when riding outside).
I really enjoyed Hutchinson's writing style, the right balance of serious, informative and funny.

[Trev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sma

[Dave Maminski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faster: The Obsession

A good read that world class cyclist gives real world examples of how professional cycling has evolved for better or worse.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I really enjoyed this book. Interesting information on different aspects that make a cyclist go fast with humor and easy reading style.

[Matt Pyecroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y

[Mark Albrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got hooked from the first site.

[Caro Harper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oof, not finished. Too data focused for me.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Intriguing and not weighed down with tangents or useless details.

[Edith Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and funny read.
A look at the intricate detail cyclists go into for marginal speed gains. Some level of technical detail is included which is cool.

[Spines and Spokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read as a keen cyclist

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not going to get me to the Tour but a cracking read.

[Kelly Maychack · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Steve Chilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very thorough and detailed book, which I found fascinating. Hutchinson writes in a style that conveys fairly complex and scientific ideas in an engaging way that aids understanding. Enormous amounts of detail about all the science, and technology (and more offbeat ideas) that have been tried in order to go faster. A serious read, which is not meant to be a training guide. But you will have a better understanding of the concept of marginal gains and how they might be harnessed for your own good.

[Michael Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read and still very relevant.

A great read that isn't as intense as a lot of these books. A great insight into the marginal gains phrase that gets misused a lot. Self deprecating and honest as he's always been, the book really does show how crazy us cyclists can be, but also dedicated to our passion.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting reading for anyone interested in the pursuit of high performance cycling. Well written, informative but easy to understand and told from the viewpoint of an author heavily involved in the top levels of the sport.