I’ve been thinking. When it comes to cycling, what exactly is “fast” and what is fast enough? And at the end of the day, does it even matter?

Is fast something reserved for World Tour riders? They’re fast, for sure. But even within the pro ranks there’s fast, and then there’s fast. Take the recently crowned World Champ Tadej Pogačar. He makes many other elite World Tour pros look like Sunday club hubbards as he rides them off his wheel with ease. Now that’s definitely fast.

Same same, but very different…

I can hold my own in many situations, but I’ve never considered myself fast (because I’m not). I’ve not considered myself “slow” either. Perhaps I am Schrödinger’s Cyclist? Both slow and fast simultaneously, depending on the situation and who may (or may not) be watching.

I know there are riders who couldn’t climb a highway overpass without e-assist (and there’s nothing wrong with that of course). I’m fast compared to them. There are ride bunches where I can sit on the front the whole time at my Zone 2 pace and drag them around. Fast enough? Then there are other rides where I’m gassed at the top end of my power just to hold the wheel, and others still where I’d be spat out the back within minutes. It’s all relative, right?

I put in a solid ride at IRONMAN Cairns over the 90km course. That felt fast to me. I was faster than a lot of other athletes. On the flip side, I got passed like I was standing still by many riders, most of whom had just swam 1.9km and were looking at a 21km run after jumping off the bike! Hmmm.

Am I fast? Or fast enough? Or perhaps “fast” is something that is never achieved? Maybe it is not fast that we’re looking for, but faster? A constant grind for marginal improvements year after year in the pursuit of getting that little bit stronger.

I still don’t know. Perhaps I need to stop thinking so much and go ride my bike… 🚴‍♂️