Faster

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

By: Michael Hutchinson

Narrated by: Simon Vance

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 they do so and how attempts to avoid them can result in serious athletes gradually painting themselves into the most peculiar lifestyle 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.

©2014 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (P)2016 Leafblower Audio LLC DBA Sportybooks

funny and interesting

I've read a few books on this topic area and so it was not so revealing for me, but a nice insight into Mr Hutchinson's life

Interesting, enjoyable, and witty

I am a bit surprised how much I liked this book. He took what could be a dry topic and made it interesting and informative. And he did so with wit and wisdom. Just about any type of athlete will discover something valuable in this book, but cycling, running, and triathletes will find this read particularly worthwhile. The book is not about specific training plans, but instead provides higher-level insights about muscle types, genetics, aerodynamics, and training. Now that I have finished the book I have to get out of the chair and on the bike so I, too, can be faster.

Every cycling book is worth 5's.

Soon as you finish one book related to the sport of cycling, the question is usually what is next.

If just getting in to the sport, this might be a better book for later on. As for a the avid rider or even a little obsessed (me)... this is is a must listen!

Loads of information, great tales and well put together. Thanks

Great read!

This is a book about the author's personal cycling career mixed with research in the realm of peak sports performance. It has a nerdy component that appeals to people like me who like books like "The Sports Gene", "The Outliers", etc. A nice bit of humor mixed in to make an amusing read for people with interest in sports. A am a triathlete and enjoyed the insights.

Very Technical

Easy to listen to narration. If you love the technical nature of endurance sports and how the body works, this is a great listen! Really enjoyed this.

Great workout listen

I listened to this one while working out. A great match.

Also a good tour season listen.

Great! A mix of humor, insight, & information

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, what cyclist doesn't want tips to go faster? Train smarter not harder.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Faster?

Ice baths are evil... yippee!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I'll try anything once

Any additional comments?

Simon Vance was perfect! This book definitely fueled my ongoing quest for speed. Taught me a lot of what I shouldn't be doing as well as what I should be doing. It's peppered with humorous real life accounts and insight into what the biggest teams are doing in their quest for speed.

Faster

A very technical and enlightening book that is both educational and entertaining at the same time.