For genuinely fast bowlers, the 90mph mark is rarely far from their thoughts, but Mark Wood has put a new spin on it as he begins an Ashes year refreshed after a four-month injury layoff.
While most of his speedy rivals rush into the box wanting to reach the fast-gun milestone, Wood is determined never to go down for the rest of what has been an on-again, off-again career with England.
“Everyone thinks the target is 150 km/h, but I don't want to go below that number now,” says a man who still tops the world's speed charts despite turning 35 this week.
“My average pace is increasing year after year, my control last summer was also good, so I just want to try to maintain that high speed as much as I can, not at 90, but above.
'That's the challenge. Two or three years ago, I didn't think I could get there any faster, but these days I'm giving it everything I've got. You can probably tell by the number of times I fell.
Indeed, during a brilliant display against the West Indies at Trent Bridge last July, Wood raised the bar for sustained pace by a bowler in a Test match in this country, averaging 91.2mph per delivery in the victory of 241 runs. This was dramatically higher than his career average of 87.4 and shattered the previous record on British soil of 90.59 by Australian Brett Lee in the iconic 2005 Ashes.
Mark Wood has revealed his determination not to drop below 90mph despite his injury problems.
The England fast bowler has had a four-month break but is aiming for the winter ashes.
He has been an important part of Ben Stokes' team and has been working hard to get back to fitness.
Later that month, he bombarded the Windies' batting with five second innings wickets at Edgbaston, claiming his fourth man of the match award in 37 Tests in the process.
Cruelly, however, he was cut short in his prime immediately after the August victory over Sri Lanka in Manchester, when what was considered a routine check on a historic elbow problem highlighted a stress reaction in the joint.
So, while Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse improved their reputations against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand, Wood was working harder than ever on his fitness in a bid to join them in England's Ashes attack next winter .
Without being able to use his right arm for weeks and with the express prohibition of carrying his two children so as not to hinder the healing process, he focused on cardiovascular work, beating his personal best times in the distances of 5 km, 3 km and 2 km. km.
Wood tells Mail Sport: “We've got so many good bowlers now, so many young lads that when it's freezing in the garage at nine at night I wonder, 'Who else is training in this weather?'
“I trick my mind into thinking that getting on the treadmill to run more or lift weights is what will make the difference for me: the extra one percent that will get me back on the team.”
Given his chronic ankle and knee problems in recent years, Wood also had to undertake weekly exercises set up by English physiotherapist Steve Griffin at his local leisure center in Ashington.
I call it the Griff session. It was a little strange to walk into a public gym and jump and jump through these low-level, weight-free, single-leg work, counterbalance, and different directional movements.
Gus Atkinson (left) and Brydon Carse (right) led England's attacking pace in Wood's absence.
Wood tells Mail Sport that he has felt like Arnold Schwarzenegger in training with one arm
Wood has been selected for England's white-ball series in India and the Champions Trophy
“It doesn't sound like much, but it activates the muscles in a way that can be brutal on the body. However, I was very conscious of the fact that it seemed like I was barely doing anything and there were quite a few eyes on us. People must have been thinking: “What the hell is this guy doing?”
“I also did all my gymnastics work with one arm, so I walked everywhere with my left shoulder pointed forward: 'Look, I'm like Arnold Schwarzenegger.'” On the other side was a stick.
However, after regular scans to ensure that rehabilitation was on track, Wood received a final injection of ostinol and cortisone in November.
'My grandmother used to have a little sewing mouse that she stuck needles into. He must have had about 50. But this last one of mine must have surpassed his total. Every time they poke me I think of that little mouse,” he laughs.
Wood has been selected for England's upcoming white-ball series in India and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February and March.
If he emerges from all that unscathed, he will increase his workload with a home Test series against India and another opportunity in Australia in mind.
Wood feels more robust since extending his career in his early 30s and adds: “I refereed four matches in Australia the last time we were there. I've managed two or three Tests in a row, which has been very unusual in my entire career.” career, so all these things give me optimism for what is to come.
“It's certainly not the case that I've set the world on fire, so far. I look at some of the bowlers around the world and think 'why can't I be like that?' What I want to emulate are the people who change the games and series.”
If he can keep up the speed of his deliveries throughout the year, he could make it in the biggest series of all.