Or, breaking historic records, unmatched by anyone before, and setting expectations for what’s to come.

However, Tao Ci just scoffed at this. Seeing his rival’s star player winning the fifth Ballon d'Or left a sour taste in his mouth. Deeply feeling it was unfair to his home team's star player, he believed there was surely some foul play.

His good morning mood vanished, and Tao Ci angrily closed the browser. After enough rest, he put on his running clothes and ran a few laps around the neighborhood. This habit had persisted for three years—running in the evening on workdays, in the morning on weekends. Every run left him feeling indescribably comfortable, ensuring he was energized to greet the new day.

"Initially, I started running to lose weight, but now I'm addicted. Maybe I'll sign up for a marathon next year, perhaps even outrun Africans, haha," he often thought whimsically. In reality, Tao Ci's running performance could easily meet police standards, sprinting 1.5 kilometers in 2 minutes without feeling exhausted.

Over the past few years, Tao Ci's weight gradually increased along with his working years, reaching a critical point.

At that time, even walking a few steps left him short of breath, his breathing noticeably heavier than others. Finally, during a company physical, numerous indicators exceeding the limits awakened his fear of death. He remembered the moment he walked down the street, seeing the contemptuous glances from passing beauties—it was a turning point. Tao Ci decided to start a long-distance running plan.

He would never forget the first day wearing his mismatched shirt, running out of the house in shame, and feeling exhausted after 30 seconds. It was the first time he experienced the legendary sensation of "legs filled with lead." Supporting himself on his knees, he gasped heavily, "Ha, ha, ha," for a full minute.

That day, Tao Ci barely managed to complete one lap, 1.7 kilometers in 20 minutes, constantly walking and running, while controlling his heart rate, fearing the headlines the next day.

After a month, there was little improvement—a lap still took about 20 minutes.

But in the following months, his progress leapt forward. In the second month, he clearly felt his breath could be controlled, allowing him to run a few more steps. By the third month, thinking "just one more step," he improved by 2 minutes. Gradually, after three years, his distance increased to 5 kilometers in the same 20 minutes.

Looking back, the journey was bittersweet. Today's mileage was completed; he would start challenging a half marathon tomorrow. Thinking about it, he went home and took a shower. He walked to the sunlit window, comfortably nestled into a newly bought sofa from an online store, and picked up a book from the round table on his

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