Cycling: Racing into the Headwind

"It really works!!"

Huang Chong felt a sensation throughout his body. After the faint, tingling numbness faded, he felt completely recharged, knowing his body had been strengthened.

The change in his legs’ strength was particularly noticeable.

He could feel that he was significantly stronger than when he had left a moment ago!

Increasing one’s average power by 10W is relatively easy for a novice, but no matter how easy it is, it’s not as fast as directly adding points!

"Bro, you were pushing way too hard. You’ve only ridden a few kilometers, and you’re already spent, huh?"

"Here’s a piece of advice: for a newbie like you, it’s best to keep your heart rate in Zone 2 for aerobic training. That’s how you optimize and build your endurance. Pushing too hard just isn’t worth it!"

"That’s right. Daily training isn’t a race; there’s no need to go all-out and push so hard!"

Just as Huang Chong finished allocating his Optimization Value, the three cyclists who had been discussing him earlier caught up.

Seeing him stopped by the roadside to rest, panting heavily after only 10km, they kindly offered him a slew of advice!

Before Huang Chong could respond, new text appeared from the system:

[Someone has suggested Zone 2 aerobic training to the Host. Please complete 30 minutes of Zone 2 aerobic training. Reward: 2 Basic Optimization Value points, Heart and Lung Strengthening Pills x1]

[Heart and Lung Strengthening Pills: When consumed, they strengthen cardiopulmonary function, extend cycling endurance, suppress rapid increases in the heart rate threshold, enhance lung capacity within a reasonable range, and reduce the Host’s risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and hypertension.]

...

"This works too?"

Huang Chong was a little dumbfounded when he saw the new quest.

’Damn it,’ he thought. ’This system is a complete troll; it takes everything people say seriously!’

However, the three cyclists’ advice was sincere, scientific, and perfectly reasonable.

Besides weak thighs and difficulty sustaining power, large heart rate fluctuations are a common symptom for beginners.

Without extended Zone 2 aerobic training, it’s indeed difficult to maintain a stable heart rate.

Under a normal training regimen, a novice would need to do long-distance rides for at least a month or two to stabilize their heart rate.

"Thanks for the advice, everyone! I’ll get on that Zone 2 aerobic training right away. Let’s ride together sometime!"

Huang Chong waved at the three. They had helped him trigger a system quest, so of course, he had to thank them.

"No problem, bro! We come to the greenway for a casual ride every day after work. But if you want to keep up with our pace, you’ll need to train some more, hahaha!"

A cheerful voice from the group called back, and then the three figures slowly vanished from Huang Chong’s view.

"Those guys... they really are straight shooters, saying whatever is on their minds!"

Huang Chong smiled and shook his head.

He was actually quite open-minded; he didn’t feel offended when people offered reasonable advice. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

As long as it wasn’t someone like Zhou Ming, who came purely to mock him, he could take it in stride.

’Thirty minutes of Zone 2 training, huh? That’s actually going to be a little hard for me to control right now!’

Huang Chong focused his attention back on the system quest, then did a quick mental calculation of his heart rate zones.

According to the rough formula for heart rate zones:

minus his age (22) equals 198, which was his maximum heart rate.

The Zone 2 aerobic training range is 60–70% of the maximum heart rate, meaning his heart rate needed to be between 119 and 139 beats per minute.

To keep his heart rate in that range, Huang Chong basically had no choice but to ride back slowly.

So, after leaving the bike shop and riding 10km in 24 minutes, his return trip took a full 50 minutes, maybe more, before the system finally displayed a notification:

[Congratulations! You have completed 30 minutes of Zone 2 aerobic training.]

[Reward being issued: You have received 2 Basic Optimization Value points and Heart and Lung Strengthening Pills x1.]

...

"You really put in the miles, Old Huang. I thought you’d be back in half an hour, tops. I didn’t expect you to be out for an hour and a half."

Back at the Feichi Bicycle shop, Dewey—who was situated in a culinary dead zone and had resorted to ordering fried chicken and Coke for dinner at eight p.m.—saw Huang Chong wheeling his road bike in and casually tossed him an ice-cold Coca-Cola.

However, Huang Chong caught it only to toss it back. He then took his cycling water bottle to the shop’s dispenser to fill it up, saying bluntly:

"I’m not drinking high-calorie sodas like this anymore. I’m going to lose weight!"

"HISS— What’s gotten into you? What, are you planning to train like a madman so you can go up against that Zhou guy?"

Dewey teased while eating his fried chicken:

"If you ask me, you have to take these things slowly. Why deny your cravings just to prove a point?

There’s plenty of time. What’s the rush?"

’Plenty of time?’

Huang Chong scoffed internally at the phrase.

It was already mid-2022. Pogačar, Vingegaard, and the dark horse Evenepoel—who was on the verge of winning the Vuelta a España—were about to form a dominant trio.

Now that he was bound to the system, how could he afford to improve at a snail’s pace and miss the golden age of competing against these top-tier geniuses in the coming years?

A saying came to mind: ’Ten thousand years is too long; seize the day!’

"That Zhou guy is a nobody. With his skill level, I wouldn’t even need a week of training to crush him. You think I need to lose weight specifically for him?"

"Uh—bro, you shouldn’t be making such wild boasts."

Dewey and the shop’s professional mechanic exchanged a knowing smile. They were both well aware of Zhou Ming’s skill.

With Huang Chong’s current ability, he thought he could drop a rich kid who averaged around 30 km/h after just one week of training?

That was pure fantasy!

Dewey asked,

"Then tell me, if it’s not about beating Zhou Ming, why are you in such a hurry to lose weight?"

By this time, Huang Chong had finished his water. He took a Training Recovery Energy Gel from the system’s inventory, ready to test its effects, and stated frankly:

"Because I’ve decided. I’m going to be a Professional Cyclist, and lowering my weight is currently one of the fastest ways to improve my Power-to-Weight Ratio!"

Dewey froze on the spot, momentarily forgetting to even eat the fried chicken leg in his hand.

"Are you serious?"

The shock on his face was undeniable.

Especially when he saw Huang Chong’s confident expression, which looked anything but joking.

"Of course, I’m serious!"

Huang Chong’s reply was decisive. He tore open the Energy Gel’s packaging and squeezed it into his mouth, discovering it had the texture of a fruit-flavored jelly. It was actually quite good.

"But—but that’s completely unrealistic, bro! Becoming a Professional Cyclist is incredibly complex. It requires systematic training; you have to be on top of every single aspect. At our age, how much room is there to improve?"

Seeing his friend’s firm tone, Dewey could only manage a wry smile.

He even felt a faint sense of guilt, since he was the one who had dragged Huang Chong into the rabbit hole of road cycling in the first place.

His only intention had been to ride with a good friend, to spend time together doing something they were both passionate about!

He never expected that Huang Chong, who hadn’t been cycling for long and was getting on in years, would actually harbor a dream of becoming a Professional Cyclist.

But on second thought, Dewey decided he was worrying too much.

In his view, it was impossible unless Huang Chong was reincarnated and started training from childhood.

As for this life, no matter how hard he trained, he probably wouldn’t even make it onto a domestic Intercontinental Team. When that time came, he’d naturally give up in the face of such difficulty.

Huang Chong knew Dewey couldn’t understand him, and he couldn’t exactly share the fact that he was reborn with a cheat system. So, he didn’t plan on discussing the matter of turning pro any further.

A simple explanation would have to suffice. Probing any deeper would just lead to an endless back-and-forth.

He replied briskly,

"Heaven rewards the diligent. I’ll just start by training on my own. It’s not like joining a club or a pro team is easy, anyway. In this sport, results do the talking. If I haven’t stood on a few championship podiums, no one’s going to give me the time of day just based on my cycling computer data!"

As someone with prior experience, Huang Chong was very clear on the unwritten rules of the cycling world.

Teams have always scouted talented riders during races; riders don’t go applying for interviews with teams using their everyday training data.

Hearing Huang Chong’s answer, Dewey suddenly realized that his old classmate had already figured out the necessary channels and methods to become a Professional Cyclist. He wasn’t just blindly charging ahead, which, for some reason, made Dewey breathe a sigh of relief.

They had been best friends in college, even roommates. Their personalities clicked, and they had a tacit understanding about most things.

So, out of sincere concern, he was just worried that Huang Chong was being a hot-headed youth, that he would act on impulse and get himself badly hurt chasing a fantasy.

But now it seemed his friend wasn’t just some hot-blooded fool but actually had a reasonable plan.

"Since you’ve made up your mind, of course I’ll support you, bro. The salary I pay you is enough for your daily expenses, anyway. You’ll just have to manage your own training schedule!"

Having thought things through, Dewey went back to his fried chicken. "But," he added,

"if you’re going to be a Professional Cyclist, shouldn’t your steed get an upgrade?

The shop just got a pair of entry-level, second-hand, 50mm deep-section domestic carbon wheels a few days ago. They’re in near-mint condition. You should take them and install them. Get rid of those crappy stock aluminum wheels on your Giant. They’re absolute garbage, heavy as lead.

Consider it a little practical support from your bro. Don’t mention it!"

When Huang Chong heard Dewey offer him a carbon fiber wheelset, his eyes lit up, and he leaped off the sofa.

A true bro, indeed. He’d actually been planning to upgrade his shallow-rim aluminum wheels to deep-section carbons.

The only problem was that they weren’t cheap. Even a decent entry-level domestic pair would cost five or six thousand yuan—his entire monthly salary. He never expected Dewey to support him so directly.

"I won’t say thanks for such a huge favor, Old Du. When I’m a champion, I’ll repay you!"

Huang Chong knew Dewey’s personality—he wasn’t one to dawdle. So he went to grab the second-hand wheelset that had been intended for sale, ready to mount them on his bike.

But just as he hung the bike on the repair stand, a new line of text appeared from the system.

...