at 42 she broke the world record for women on the sichuan tibet line

"I have my own bottom line. As long as it's not a life-threatening heart or lung problem, I won't give up easily. I prepared for this challenge for a year, and I won't give up until the last moment."

— Ai Qing

Chengdu, May 20, 2015, 23:55. Even though it was already summer, Tianfu Square was still bustling with many vehicles and pedestrians hurrying by.

In 5 minutes, 7 cyclists from around the world will start from here to embark on the Sichuan-Tibet Line Extreme Challenge. Among the 7 cyclists, there are two women, one of whom is named Wu Lili, known in the cycling community as Ai Qing. She is 42 years old, from Baishui, Shaanxi, and is the oldest female participant in this challenge. According to recorded data, the world record for cycling the Sichuan-Tibet Line is 7 days, 22 hours, and 58 minutes, while the women's record is 12 days.

On May 30, 2015, at 19:24, Ai Qing completed the entire 2160 km route in 9 days, 19 hours, and 24 minutes, setting a new record for women cycling the Sichuan-Tibet Line.

In 2016, Ai Qing broke her own record with a time of 9 days, 5 hours, and 6 minutes.

From a novice to an addict, from the tail of the team to the leading goose.

At the end of May 2012, by chance, Ai Qing saw a friend exercising by cycling. Curious and envious, she inquired about it and bought a mountain bike, joining the local Hero Club cycling group. She rode with her friends every afternoon. Initially, due to a lack of exercise, she struggled with even small slopes, often falling behind the group, panting and with weak legs.

Many things are daunting when faced with a determined and persistent person, and Ai Qing happens to be such a person.

To avoid falling behind, she started riding for one to two hours every day, covering 1000 km in a month. As her riding time and distance increased, her physical fitness and endurance improved significantly. Her curiosity about cycling turned into liking and then into love. She began to revel in the exhilaration that came after sweating profusely.

Cycling can be addictive. In two months, Ai Qing had cycled through almost every village in Baishui. Her favorite place was the 11 km slope along the Luo River. Every time she reached the top and looked back at the winding mountain road, she felt a sense of pride.

As her speed increased, Ai Qing went from being at the tail of the club's cycling activities to leading the pack, earning the nickname "Tough Girl" from her club friends. With her strong learning and hands-on abilities, she became proficient in fixing flats, changing tires, and adjusting brakes and gears. She began to set her sights further, wanting to ride to more distant places and see the scenery beyond. She started venturing further afield, to places like Pucheng, Weinan, Hancheng, and Xi'an, always accompanied by her bike.

From leisure rides to challenges, the tough girl evolved into an iron lady.

In the cycling community, there's a saying: "For the same route, driving is too fast, walking is too slow, but cycling is just right. You won't miss any scenery."

From August 27 to September 6, 2012, after much preparation, Ai Qing set off alone, covering 1350 km in 11 days, passing through 17 counties and cities including Baishui, Huanglong, Hukou, Nanniwan, Yan'an, Yanchuan, Qingjian, Suide, Mizhi, Yulin, Hengshan, Jingbian, Wuqi, Zhidan, Ganquan, Fuxian, Luochuan, and Huangling.

This trip allowed Ai Qing to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the Qinling Mountains and gave her more ideas and ambitions for cycling.

While passing through Lantian, she coincidentally encountered the Lantian Houzhen Mountain Bike Cross-Country Race. She met many amateur cyclists from Shaanxi, and with their encouragement, she rode the course. This "unexpected journey" made her realize that although there was a gap between her and the amateur cyclists, it was not insurmountable. With effort, anything was possible.

On October 27, 2012, Ai Qing participated in the desert track cross-country race held in Dali. She placed third in the women's group and, along with three men from Xi'an, formed a team that placed fourth in the team competition.

Winning a place in her first race greatly encouraged Ai Qing. She began transitioning from leisurely rides to more athletic cycling. She adjusted her training plan, focusing on improving her cardiovascular endurance and muscle stamina. In six months, she cycled over 10,000 km, earning the nickname "Iron Lady."

From fan to idol, breaking records twice in two years.

In winter, as the weather turned cold, Ai Qing temporarily stopped cycling due to the outdoor conditions. However, she kept busy by researching maps online and planning her rides for the next two years, with Tibet becoming part of her plan.

From March 26 to May 2, 2013, Ai Qing set off again, covering 6300 km in 59 days, passing through Baishui, Chengdu, Xichang, Lugu Lake, Lijiang, Shangri-La, Dali, Kunming, Shilin, Huangguoshu in Guizhou, Fenghuang Ancient Town, Zhangjiajie, the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, Shennongjia, and back to Baishui.

In 2014, in addition to her regular training, Ai Qing completed more than 10 rides of over 200 km in a day to build her stamina. She also researched the road conditions, climate, and customs of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau online and made detailed route plans. From April 22 to June 1, she successfully completed a 6800 km solo ride through Baishui, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmud, Lhasa, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi'an, and back to Baishui.

......

By 2015, the section of National Highway 318 from Lhasa to Chengdu, with its blue skies, white clouds, clear waters, snow-capped mountains, and prayer flags, had become a dream route for Chinese cyclists. Every year, over 20,000 cyclists embark on this journey, enjoying the scenery while testing their willpower and physical fitness.

The International Sichuan-Tibet Extreme Challenge, along with the Race Across America (RAAM) and Paris-Brest-Paris, is one of the world's three major ultra-long-distance non-stop cycling challenges. It starts at midnight on May 21 each year from Tianfu Square in Chengdu. Cyclists ride along National Highway 318 (the southern Sichuan-Tibet route) to the finish line at Potala Palace Square in Lhasa, covering 2160 km and passing 14 high mountains, 12 of which are over 4000 meters and 2 over 5000 meters, with a total ascent of over 50,000 meters. Cyclists must rely on their own comprehensive abilities to complete the journey within 8 days without any support or logistics.

The 2015 International Sichuan-Tibet Extreme Challenge started at midnight on May 21 from Tianfu Square in Chengdu. It was Ai Qing's first time participating in this challenge. She was one of the 7 cyclists and one of the only two women, the other being her biggest competitor, Maria from France.

"When I didn't even know about mountain bikes, she was already winning in triathlons," Ai Qing said. She just wanted to complete the race at her own pace. The race's "cut-off" time was 12 days, meaning that even if there were cyclists still on the road after 12 days, the race would be declared over, and all staff would leave.

In an interview with the media, Ai Qing said, "If the weather is good, I might reach the finish line within 10 days." Her voice was crisp and fast, like iron beans clattering down, just like her—clean and decisive.

On the first day, Ai Qing fell behind. According to the organizer's Weibo information, by around 15:00 on the 21st, the other 6 cyclists had already passed Luding, and a support vehicle stayed behind to wait for her. By around 18:00, the other female cyclist, Maria from France, had already reached Kangding and settled in, while Ai Qing's figure only appeared in Luding. It wasn't until 21:56 that Ai Qing arrived in Kangding County.

On the 22nd, Ai Qing braved rain and snow to cross the Zheduo Mountain Pass. At 16:03, she reached the Gaoersi Mountain Pass, where Maria had overtaken her. Nearly 2 hours later, Ai Qing caught up with her.

On the 23rd, Ai Qing began to experience altitude sickness. In the afternoon, in Litang, she bought glucose from a pharmacy. That night, Maria and others withdrew from the race for various reasons, leaving Ai Qing as the only female cyclist.

On the 24th and 25th, the wind was sometimes so strong that she had to get off and push her bike. The downhill roads were bumpy, forcing her to dodge and weave awkwardly.

On the 26th, at 5:50, Ai Qing set off from Zuogong and reached Bangda Town at 12:35. Due to altitude sickness, her face was swollen, and she bought some anti-inflammatory medicine from a pharmacy.

On the 27th, at 6:50, Ai Qing set off and reached Bomi Town at 19:50. She went to the hospital for a check-up and continued riding in the rain. That day, she experienced whole-body edema.

On the 28th, at 7:16, on the eighth day of the challenge, Ai Qing's swelling had subsided a bit, and she set off from Guxiang.

On the 29th, at 6:28, Ai Qing, still slightly swollen, continued her journey.

On the 30th, at 19:24, Ai Qing completed the entire 2160 km route in 9 days, 19 hours, and 24 minutes, setting a new record for women cycling the Sichuan-Tibet Line.

In 2016, Ai Qing broke her own record again with a time of 9 days, 5 hours, and 6 minutes.

In two years, Ai Qing broke two records, engraving her name on the honor roll of the International Sichuan-Tibet Extreme Challenge. In 2014, she was just a fan of this event.

In 2017,at midnight on May 21, Ai Qing will set off again from Tianfu Square in Chengdu with several other cyclists. She didn't put too much pressure on herself for this trip. "Every day I wake up in a different place, ride different roads, see different scenery, and meet new friends. The journey is full of gains and emotions, teaching me to cherish life, cycling, and everyone around me. That's enough."

If you were 42 years old, would you still choose to cycle the Sichuan-Tibet Line?

Feel free to leave a comment in the article's comment section and participate in the interaction.

Every week, Cycling Hero will select two lucky participants to receive sports equipment.

Additionally, the 4th (2017) International 8-Day Sichuan-Tibet Extreme Challenge will start at midnight on May 21, 2017, in Chengdu. Ten top cyclists will compete on the snowy plateau, showcasing the highest level of non-stop cycling in China. Will Ding Tao break 7 days? Can Ai Qing set a new record? Will Guo Lijuan surprise everyone? How will the annual battle between Feng Shen and Sun Hui unfold? Can Dai Renyi and Ma Mingming challenge the veteran champions? Will Li Defei's revenge plan succeed? Cycling Hero and a new partner will take you across Tibet!

Based on Ai Qing's account, some images are sourced from the internet. Please inform us if there is any infringement, and we will delete them.