At 1 a.m. on May 13, He Wei, a police officer from the First Brigade of the Mianyang Traffic Police Detachment, along with eight other team members taking on the challenge, set off from the Xinsheng Monument in Beichuan. They cycled through Chengdu via the southern route of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway all the way to the Potala Palace in Lhasa.
　　He Wei is 43 years old. Ten years ago, he was among the first group in Mianyang to get into mountain biking, but later gave it up due to work and family reasons. A decade later, he reignited his cycling dream and, together with eight teammates, took on the challenge of covering 2,300 km of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway at a pace of 200 km per day over 12 days.

　　Passion for cycling
　　After ten years, he wanted to fulfill his dream
　　He Wei said, “Cycling the Sichuan-Tibet Highway is every cycling enthusiast’s dream.” In the second half of last year, he participated in the “Mianyang Cycling Action” event. “Out of 1,055 cycling enthusiasts, the final nine were selected to take on the Sichuan-Tibet cycling challenge.”
　　After the competition, He Wei became one of the nine challengers. “I was really excited at the time, after all, I used to love cycling.” After work, He Wei started visiting bike shops to check out mountain bikes in preparation for the Sichuan-Tibet trip.
　　Ten years ago, He Wei had already started cycling; he was among the first in Mianyang to get into mountain biking. Between 2002 and 2004, He Wei often cycled with fellow riders to nearby attractions in Mianyang such as Yuanwang Cave and Jiuzhaigou. “Cycling made me feel very happy, free and unrestrained.”
　　“Later, work got busier and I started a family, so I had less and less time for cycling.” Reflecting on why he gave up cycling, He Wei felt somewhat regretful. When he heard about the Sichuan-Tibet cycling event, it reignited his former passion for the sport.
　　He Wei bought a mountain bike and in the months leading up to the ride, he committed to exercising for two hours every day. “After work, I would go cycling at Fule Mountain, where there are hills that allowed me to practice climbing. It had been over 10 years since I last rode, so it was still quite tough.”

　　Challenging oneself
　　Cycling 15 hours a day
　　“Cycling 2,300 km in 12 days is a tight schedule and a challenge for us,” said He Wei. Normally, the cycling speed in high-altitude mountainous areas is about 100 km per day, completing the Sichuan-Tibet route in 25 days. “This time we cycled 200 km per day, getting up around 5 a.m. and not resting until 8 p.m.”
　　Of the eight teammates, four gave up cycling along the way. On the fourth day of the ride, He Wei also considered quitting. “That day was from Yajiang to Litang, where we had to climb three snow-capped mountains over 4,000 meters in a row.” The road from Yajiang to Litang was under construction, the wind was strong, and there were many large trucks passing by. That day, He Wei didn’t wear a mask, and the wind blew dust straight into his nose and throat.
　　“At that moment, I wavered. I felt the challenge was too damaging to my body, contrary to the freedom and ease that cycling used to bring me.” He Wei felt somewhat discouraged at the time, “But since I chose to do this, I should see it through to the end.”
　　That day, He Wei and his teammates set off at 5 a.m. and didn’t reach Litang until 1 a.m. the next day. The team members had swollen faces and eyes due to altitude sickness. Cycling at high altitudes comes with rapidly changing weather. “When we were down the mountain, the sun was still out, but once we reached the top, it started snowing and hailing.”

　　Reaching the finish line
　　Giving myself a sense of closure
　　“Each day of cycling drains your energy,” said He Wei, adding that the first four days of the ride were very tough. “In the first few days, I wasn’t used to it, I even had diarrhea for a few days. I couldn’t control my cycling rhythm well and experienced shortness of breath.”
　　Seeing several teammates give up cycling one after another, He Wei felt somewhat regretful. “All the preparation and the pain endured would have been for nothing. I wouldn’t have been able to face myself, nor would I have been able to fulfill my cycling dream.”
　　On the fifth day of cycling, He Wei’s condition began to improve. “From Litang to Batang, the scenery along the way was beautiful, the sky was so blue — a shade of blue you can only see when cycling at high altitudes.” Gazing at the plateau landscape, He Wei felt for the first time that “cycling is a kind of enjoyment.”
　　But the beauty of the plateau could not make up for the physical exhaustion. “On the last day, with just 10 km to go before reaching Lhasa, I was cycling purely on willpower.” After arriving in Lhasa, He Wei felt relieved. “Being able to complete the entire journey is a personal accomplishment.”