The moment the starting gun fired, Cheng Che did not charge.
Fifteen thousand people surged out of the starting line like a tide, with professional athletes at the front and amateur runners at the back.
Cheng Che mingled in the second group, running at his own pace.
[ Natural Breathing Rhythm ] was activated in the first step.
His breathing automatically adjusted to the optimal frequency, inhaling, exhaling, a three-step cycle, perfectly synchronized with his steps.
You don't need to consciously control it; your body will know how to breathe on its own.
The [ Sneakers That Never Chafe ] on my feet feel like they're part of my body; every step I take is steady and smooth, without any unnecessary friction.
He ran on the stone slabs of Dianchi Road, on the asphalt road, and on the rubber track; the soles of his shoes seemed to adapt automatically to any terrain.
For the first five kilometers, he followed the main group, neither in a hurry nor impatient.
Inside the commentary booth, Zhou Yang glanced at the monitor.
" Cheng Che is currently in the middle of the second group, with a pace of approximately 4 minutes and 40 seconds per kilometer. For someone running a full marathon for the first time, this pace is very stable."
Chen Li chimed in, "Actually, the biggest danger in marathons is sprinting too hard at the beginning. Many newcomers run a full marathon for the first 20 kilometers incredibly fast, but then completely collapse after 30 kilometers. Cheng Che seems very calm."
In the live chat, Cheng Che's fans were spamming the chat.
[Keep going! Keep it steady! Don't rush too hard!]
Ten kilometers had passed. Cheng Che felt his body had just warmed up.
Fifteen kilometers.
He's still in the second tier.
But he noticed something: there were fewer and fewer people in front of him.
It wasn't that he sped up; it was that the people in front of him started to slow down.
Their breathing became heavier, their steps more labored, but he remained unchanged.
Twenty kilometers.
Cheng Che increased his speed slightly.
His stride length didn't increase, but his stride frequency did.
Breathing remained steady, and heartbeat remained stable.
The sneakers on my feet felt like a pair of wings, each step accompanied by a slight bounce.
He's become Superman.
First came a few middle-aged runners, then a couple, and then a middle-aged man in professional team uniform.
He didn't deliberately speed up; he simply maintained his own pace, while those who slowed down appeared behind him one after another.
Inside the commentary booth, Zhou Yang's voice began to change.
" Cheng Che Che's position is rising rapidly. He has now entered the outer edge of the first tier. His pace is very stable, with no significant fluctuations throughout the race."
Chen Li added, "I looked at his split data; the first 20 kilometers were almost at a constant pace. This kind of running style is either the work of a seasoned veteran or a prodigy. Cheng Che clearly belongs to the latter."
25 kilometers.
Cheng Che caught up with Shen Chi.
Shen Chi was wearing professional running gear: carbon fiber running shoes, compression pants, and energy gels stuffed in his armband.
His pace is around 4 minutes and 10 seconds per kilometer, which is very fast for an amateur athlete.
But he was now covered in sweat, breathing heavily, and his face was a little pale.
As Cheng Che ran past him, Shen Chi subconsciously turned his head to glance at him.
He recognized the face.
Of course he knew Cheng Che.
In the past two weeks, this name has practically dominated every platform he can see.
But he never expected to run into him on the marathon course.
To everyone's surprise, this eighteen-year-old boy seemed even more relaxed than him.
Shen Chi gritted his teeth and tried to keep up.
He sped up a bit and followed for about two hundred meters.
Cheng Che's rhythm was too steady, not a step too much or too little, like a clock that was fully wound up.
Shen Chi's legs began to feel heavy, his breathing became increasingly erratic, and his heart rate jumped to 180 on his wristwatch.
He gave up.
Cheng Che's figure receded into the distance, disappearing into the crowd ahead.
Shen Chi slowed down, panting heavily. His coach rode alongside him on a bicycle, handing him a bottle of water.
"Don't chase him. That pace is too much for you to keep up with."
Shen Chi took a sip of water and didn't say anything.
He glanced down at his watch; his pace had dropped to 4 minutes and 50 seconds.
When Cheng Che passed by him just now, the pace was like he was taking a stroll.
Inside the commentary booth, Zhou Yang's voice became excited.
" Shen Chi was just overtaken by Cheng Che! And Cheng Che didn't slow down at all; his pace is still around 4 minutes and 5 seconds per kilometer! This pace is extremely high for a full marathon!"
The live chat exploded.
[ Shen Chi was overtaken???]
What is Cheng Che trying to do???
Wasn't this his first time running a full marathon???
[Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! He overtook Shen Chi like it was nothing!]
Thirty kilometers.
Cheng Che began to accelerate.
His body seemed to have entered a completely different state.
[ Ever-Full Power Reserves ] allows him to maintain maximum output with every step, whether it's the first kilometer or the thirtieth kilometer, the quality of his exertion remains consistent.
His Enduring Progress Without Fail down the accumulation of fatigue; after running 30 kilometers, his breathing was only slightly heavier than at the beginning.
His Self-Healing Instinct continuously repairs minor muscle damage as he runs; the faster he runs, the faster he recovers.
The sneakers on my feet seemed to have a mind of their own, landing perfectly with every step.
Thirty-three kilometers later, he caught up with Li Guodong.
Li Guodong, third place in last year's National Marathon Championships, is a top amateur runner in China.
He has run six full marathons, is very experienced, and has an excellent sense of rhythm.
But at this moment, his breathing had become heavy. The fatigue accumulated after 30 kilometers made his legs feel heavier and heavier.
Li Guodong paused for a moment as Cheng Che ran past him.
He had never seen this boy before.
But that face was too conspicuous; he had seen it trending on social media.
He was just telling his friend that a tennis player running a marathon was probably just there for fun.
Now this "guest" ran past him.
And he's faster than him.
Li Guodong tried to keep up, but after less than 300 meters, his calf started to cramp.
He had to slow down and do two stretches while holding onto the roadside railing.
Cheng Che had already run far away.
Thirty-five kilometers.
Cheng Che surpassed Kipkoech.
The reigning Champion from Kenya looked rather somber at that moment.
His pace was around 4 minutes and 10 seconds per kilometer, which was significantly slower than in the first half of the race.
After more than 30 kilometers, his physical strength also began to decline.
As Cheng Che passed by him, Kipkoech glanced at him sideways.
There was no resentment in those eyes, only the scrutiny of a professional player looking at another. He looked at him for two seconds, then nodded.
Cheng Che didn't respond. He just kept running.
Thirty-seven kilometers.
There was no one else around him.
He was the only one left in the first tier.
The wind was strong by Dianchi Lake, and the sunlight shone from the side, casting a long shadow on him.
He ran alone on the empty track, with a long line of pursuers behind him and the finish line in front of him.
Inside the commentary booth, Zhou Yang's voice had already risen in volume.
" Cheng Che has taken the lead! He has overtaken all the professional runners and is running in the lead all by himself! He is currently located on the Dianchi Road, with five kilometers to go until the finish line!"
Chen Li's voice was also filled with excitement:
"I checked his pace; he was still accelerating after 30 kilometers. That's not scientifically sound. Normal marathon runners slow down after 30 kilometers, but Cheng Che not only didn't slow down, he actually sped up by almost ten seconds. His stamina reserves are terrifying."
The comments section is so crowded that you can't even read the words.
[Charge!!!]
[ Cheng Che!!!]
[I've never seen such an outrageous marathon in my life!!!]
He can run faster than I can ride a bike!!!
The final destination: Dianchi Lake Dam.
A sea of people.
The area outside the cordon was packed with spectators; some were shouting, some were filming, and some were watching the live stream on their phones.
A woman wearing a hat and a mask stood at the back of the crowd.
Yan Ruanning pulled her hat brim down low and her mask up to her nose.
She held her phone up in her hand, the screen showing a live broadcast of the marathon.
In the video, the boy in the white vest is running ahead alone.
His hair was a little messy from the wind, and his face was covered with a thin layer of sweat, but his breathing remained steady.
He ran very lightly, his footsteps making almost no sound, like a gust of wind sweeping across the surface of Dianchi Lake.
Yan Ruanning stared at the screen, her fingers clenching slightly.
A shared electric scooter followed from a distance along the track.
Guo Xin rode a bicycle, Su Qingyue sat on the back holding a camera, and Lin Xiao and Zhou Mingxuan rode another bicycle.
They followed us all the way from the starting point, changing electric scooters three times. They were exhausted, but no one stopped.
"Two kilometers to go!" Guo Xin glanced at the route map on his phone. "The finish line is just ahead!"
Su Qingyue held up the camera, and in the lens, Cheng Che's figure was getting closer and closer.
She stared at the viewfinder, forgetting to breathe.
The last two kilometers.
Cheng Che heard the announcements from the finish line area and the cheers from the crowd.
The wind blows from Dianchi Lake, carrying the scent of water vapor and sunshine.
He closed his eyes, took two steps, and then opened them.
In the stands, some people were holding up signs. Some were calling his name. Some were crying.
He couldn't hear anything anymore.
He could only hear his own footsteps.
The sound of my sneakers hitting the ground was perfectly synchronized with my breathing.
One step, one inhale; one step, one exhale.
His body was like a sophisticated machine, with every part functioning perfectly.
The last 500 meters.
He looked up at the timer on the finish line arch.
2 hours and 14 minutes.
He paused for a moment, then smiled.
In the final 100 meters, he sprinted with all his might.
The ball of the foot pushes off the ground, and the power travels from the sole of the foot to the ankle, from the ankle to the knee, from the knee to the hip, and from the hip to the entire body.
His every step seemed to take him flying, his white figure tracing a clean arc in the sunlight.
He crossed the finish line.
The timer stopped at 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 28 seconds.
The entire room fell silent for a moment.
Then it exploded.
In the commentary booth, Zhou Yang suddenly stood up, his voice changing.
"2 hours, 14 minutes, and 28 seconds! Cheng Che has broken the race record! He's not only the winner today, but he's also set a new Spring City Marathon record! This is his first time running a full marathon! His first time!"
Chen Li's voice was also trembling:
"This result is top-tier even nationally. At eighteen, running a full marathon for the first time, he broke the course record. I've been running marathons for twenty years, and I've never seen anything like it."
The comments section completely spiraled out of control.
[Record broken!!!]
[2 hours 14 minutes!!!]
[Is this even human?!]
[ Cheng Che!!! Cheng Che!!! Cheng Che!!!]
At the finish line, Yan Ruanning looked at the numbers on her phone screen and a smile curved her lips.
She pulled her mask down a little and took a breath of fresh air.
Then she saw that under the finish line arch, the boy had stopped, bent over, put his hands on his knees, and was catching his breath.
Cheng Che suddenly wondered if he had chosen running, wouldn't he be world-famous by now?
That's way too easy!