In light of recent news regarding Tom Pidcock’s Olympic victory in the 5000m race and the struggles of cyclists using GPS watches, there seems to be a desire to pursue a cycling world record.
Earlier this year, renowned cyclist and cyclo-cross champion Tom Pidcock went for a run in his local park and recorded a 13:25 time for a 5k on the road, which he shared on Strava. The cycling community became excited, with numerous websites posting about the seemingly effortless feat of running at a fast pace. However, a closer look at the accompanying video showed that Pidcock was actually running slower than what the watch indicated.
This article intends to highlight the playful competitive banter between running and cycling, acknowledging Pidcock’s incredible athletic abilities while also questioning the hype surrounding his running performance.
What Record Should We Break Next?
Tom Pidcock deserves credit for his impressive 5k time, as there is some running involved in cyclo-cross, especially when the course becomes too difficult to cycle. However, comparing his running record to a cycling hour record would be akin to someone accidentally cycling a considerable distance using a faulty GPS device and then aiming to break Victor Campenaerts’ hour record. It is essential to recognize that Pidcock would likely surpass me in a 5k race and certainly outperform me in cycling.
Imagine if, after accidentally setting a world record on Strava, the running media went wild with the idea that I could smash cycling records. What could be next? Breaking the World Kilo record and conquering the Tour de France?
For the most part, the running community ignored Pidcock’s notable 5k performance, although many enthusiasts took to his Instagram comments to politely (or not so politely) inform him that his running speed was not as fast as it appeared.
The Latest Endeavor
So why bring this up now? Besides having a book to promote, one of my favorite cycling magazines, Rouleur, revived the topic by claiming that Pidcock’s time would place him just outside the top 25 all-time 5k runners. In reality, that statement is far from accurate.
It would be impressive if Pidcock could break the 15-minute mark with dedicated training. However, it would be more realistic to see him compete in local races like the Armagh International road race and aim for a top 150 finish. Perhaps he should start with participating in a parkrun and aim for a top ten ranking on a less competitive week.
We Would Love to See It
Despite the playful competition between running and cycling, we genuinely would love to see Pidcock participate in a bona fide race, such as one of the Podium 5k races. Fast Running would even be willing to cover the entry fee, but that’s as far as our support goes.
Other pro-cyclists, such as Freddy Ovett (son of Steve Ovett), have ventured into running, with Ovett completing the LA Marathon in 2:52 (though there were doubts about the accuracy of his watch time, which recorded it as 2:48). Another British cyclist, Adam Yates, also ran a sub-three-hour marathon, which is undoubtedly impressive but not exceptionally remarkable.
The most outstanding running result from a cyclist this year came from Tom Dumoulin, who ran 10k in his hometown of Maastricht in 32:38. But for cross-sport performances, one could consider cross-country skier Theresa Johaug’s win in the Norwegian 10,000m championships with a time of 32:20.
Mike Woods, a Canadian sub-4-minute miler, has already demonstrated how easily a talented runner can transition into professional cycling. Let’s just hope that nobody suggests to Jakob Ingebrigtsen, an exceptional middle-distance runner, that he tries his hand at cycling.
Now, I need to figure out how to ride a track bike so I can attempt the cycling hour record. Maybe I can convince Callum Hawkins, who I recently saw on a bicycle, to win the Giro d’Italia?
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