Riding Blindly and Dropping Us Will Hurt Our Feelings

Huang Chong usually focused on monitoring his heart rate while riding.

This was to safeguard his health, and it was also the most crucial metric for improving his natural power.

For him, the focus of his daily training from now on would undoubtedly be building his long-distance endurance.

After all, internationally sanctioned UCI races, whether domestic or overseas, tended to have very long individual stages.

Aside from ITTs, multi-day races generally started at a hundred kilometers, while one-day races stretched beyond two hundred kilometers.

For example, Il Lombardia, one of the five Monuments and the final one of the year, covered more than 200 kilometers and featured a terrifying elevation gain of over 4,600 meters.

Faced with such a stage, riders without sufficient endurance would find it difficult even to finish.

Huang Chong's cardiopulmonary advantage had already been enhanced by the system to world-class levels.

The only way to maximize and utilize that advantage, and fully tap all the potential that had been optimized within him, was this:

Accumulate the mileage himself, day after day.

Among all of it, Zone 2 aerobic training was the top priority.

This was the foundation that determined whether a rider could stay with the peloton throughout a five- or six-hour race, then still launch attacks or respond to others' attacks in the decisive phase and ultimately win!

However, precisely because he was only watching his heart rate, and was trying to keep it between Zone 2 and Zone 3, he failed to notice for the moment that while his heart rate remained around 140, his average speed had already reached a terrifying 37 KM/H.

"Huang Chong, what's your heart rate right now? You're pulling the group, but is it really okay to push the pace this hard?"

A voice suddenly reached his ears while he was fully focused on leading.

Huang Chong froze for a moment at the question.

He could clearly hear the intense curiosity in Wang Qiang's voice, along with a trace of helplessness.

He abruptly came to his senses and hurriedly glanced at the system bike computer. Only then did he realize that while his heart rate had remained around 140, his average speed had far exceeded the comfort zone of Wang Qiang and the other two.

Damn it. I was too focused on riding just now and didn't notice that my average speed had gone over the limit—

It looks like my riding level is already at least one tier above Wang Qiang and the others.

Ha, I guess I won't be able to train with them anymore!

Huang Chong muttered to himself.

It was actually quite helpless. When the gap in ability was too great, trying to maintain the same speed while receiving the same improvements was simply impossible—like trying to have both fish and bear's paw.

For instance, an average speed of 37 was ideal Zone 2 aerobic training for him, but Wang Qiang and the other two were already nearing their Zone 4 threshold.

If he dragged the three of them through 100 kilometers at that pace, then even if Wang Qiang and the others did not stand up to attack, it would still be equivalent to taking part in a high-intensity race. They would probably have to stay home and recover the next day.

With the physiques of ordinary people like them, they would most likely be unable to recover by the next day after such an intense race.

So, from the harsh perspective of reality, they were no longer suited to training together.

"Sorry, Brother Wang. I was too focused while riding, afraid something might happen on the greenway. I didn't pay attention to the bike computer for a moment and accidentally pushed the average speed too high. I'll slow down right away!"

Huang Chong did not answer the question about his heart rate. If he gave that number away, he would be exposing his strength, and it might easily discourage the others.

After thinking it over, he merely politely expressed his apologies for his overwhelmingly superior strength.

He was innocent too, but there was nothing he could do.

He had been the one to invite Wang Qiang and the others out for a ride today. He could not just realize he was too strong, turn around and disdain them for it, then part ways with them on the spot and have everyone ride separately.

However, although he had put it as tactfully as possible, Wang Qiang and the other two were not fools. They immediately realized that, after just one week, his riding level had clearly improved tremendously.

What did he mean by accidentally pushing the average speed too high?

And what did he mean by saying he would slow down right away?

To accommodate weak-legged riders like them, this kid now had to hold himself back while riding?

Liu Junjie, who was riding in the middle of the group, silently rolled his eyes. He was not very convinced.

As an experienced rider who had been cycling for years, he was being utterly crushed by a newcomer who had only recently joined the team—and the newcomer even had to yield to him. It was no different from someone offering him their seat on a bus because they thought he was old.

He replied stubbornly, "No need to slow down. Just ride at whatever pace feels comfortable for you. We three old guys can still handle it for now. We also want to see how long you can pull at this average speed."

Huang Chong heard the pride in Liu Junjie's words, but he knew that there was no malice or competitiveness behind them.

It was merely that unextinguished youthful spirit between men made him unable to accept Huang Chong's kindness and consideration in slowing down for them.

This was one of the extremely complicated sides of a man's pride.

Sometimes, being respected felt more like being mocked.

Huang Chong could only smile bitterly inwardly. But since the other man had put it that way, slowing down now would truly be a little insulting. So he could only reply, "All right," before continuing to maintain his most comfortable Zone 2 aerobic pace as they rode farther and farther along the greenway.

5 KM—

20 KM—

50 KM—

100 KM—

After riding for nearly three full hours, Huang Chong finally stopped when the system subtitles indicated that he had covered 100 KM.

As expected, although Wang Qiang and the other two had stayed with him the entire way, they were clearly exhausted.

After the training ended, they guzzled down the supplies in their water bottles.

"You're too much of a freak! What kind of improvement is this?!

"It's only been a week, and you dragged us through 100 KM at an average speed of 37 without even rotating pulls.

"Come clean. What's your FTP at now?"

Liu Junjie complained nonstop. He really had nearly been dropped.

Yet Huang Chong's face was not even red, and he was not breathing hard. His condition was terrifyingly good, as though he had barely exerted himself.

"Huang Chong, your improvement is truly absurdly fast. We never saw this coming.

"We all thought that after losing so much weight so suddenly, your cycling power would definitely be affected. Who would have thought it would surge so much instead—

"Could I take a look at your bike computer data?"

Seeing that Chen Guangming wanted to see his bike computer data, Huang Chong did not hide anything. He nodded and generously agreed.

He had ridden entirely in Zone 2 tonight anyway. Besides, his bike did not have a power meter installed, so his bike computer only displayed time, distance, average speed, and heart rate. No power data would be generated at all.

The other man would not be able to determine his true level from those few figures. At most, he would see that Huang Chong's heart was in excellent condition.

But when Chen Guangming and the other two discovered that his heart rate was only around 140 while he could maintain an average speed of 37, they were instantly dumbfounded.

He could reach an average speed of 37 in Zone 2 training?

Then what was his actual FTP?

250W+?

Liu Junjie stared at Huang Chong as though he were looking at a monster. After gathering his thoughts, he finally teased, "Huang Chong, I think you should spend some money and get yourself a power meter.

"Even if you have no desire to find out exactly how much your strength has improved, at least let us know how big the gap between us is after you've blown us apart. Let us die knowing the truth.

"Otherwise, if you keep riding blindly like this and leave us far behind, it'll hurt our feelings!"

Huang Chong: "..."