How to seriously improve hiking speed - Out of ideas

Sorry if this has been asked again, but everyone's experience and characteristics are different, so I thought it would be worth asking again specifically for me.

As the title says: I (M30) am a quite experienced hiker (not anything dramatically professional though). I mostly do it on the Alps, namely often on paths which are irregular, full of stones and roots, etc. Let's say, very nature-style. I have no problems in walking of paths of T5 difficulty (Alpine scale). On T6 (maximum ranked hiking difficulty), it is quite challenging, but I think I can also do it. On the side, I also do via ferratas (up to difficulty B/C), and rope climbing (mostly indoors, few times on rock).

I enjoy a lot doing it, I have no fear of heights at all, and my greatest strenght, I would say, is the resistance. However, I am very, very lacking in speed. It is very mentally challenging to go outside with others, because I am evidently slowing them down (which is one of the reasons why sometimes I also like to go solo). More than one time I separated from the rest of the group, because the difference was just too much.

I don't really understand why that is the case: I am in a good physical shape (75 kg for 175 cm of height), I train regularly in the gym (cardio included), sometimes I go jogging and I do a lot of biking. Also in those cases, I would say that I have a good resistance, but I cannot really excel in speed. It is like is my body is not super duper good in "releasing energy" (sorry for the abuse of language) istantaneously, but it prefers to do it spread on longer times.

Another thing, mabye, is that I am not super good in the balance. Don't misunderstand me, it's not that I lose equilibrium every 2 meters. But, especially when we are walking down and the path is very steep, I feel that I have to put quite more effort to stay up and don't fall forward, while others seem to stay balanced without putting particular effort. And this most certainly slows me while walking down. However, I do not have this "stability" issue when walking up, instead, there I always feel to have balance. Nevertheless, I am slow also in walking up, so the balance thing is probably not the only issue.

I am quite desperate. Has anyone been in the same situation?

EDIT: to add to this, I would say my equipment is always very good. Proper hiking boots, adequate clothing, I hydrate regularly and use energy bars, electrolytes, etc.. Nothing should be missing on this side. And I do use trekking poles when walking down.