Shawn Heidgen may not be a household name, but if you ever get a chance to meet her, she leaves an indelible impression. Currently living in Elburn, IL, a small town west of Batavia, she's been racing for 11 years and most recently turned pro, riding for Team TDS-Schwalbe.

When I met Shawn in May, I was struck by her matter-of-fact positive attitude and perseverance as an athlete. Known for her superior strength and consistency as a rider, she is an inspiration having come back from a debilitating injury where she was told she would not ride again. In 1998, a hip stress fracture was misdiagnosed and after two weeks she was rushed into surgery after doctors discovered her femur was completely broken. The next six months were spent on crutches with a lot of therapy and a month's stay at the Mayo Chronic Pain Clinic.

Today, she's cycling with a plate running down her leg and has several screws going into the ball of the femur. She doesn't want to be know for that, but prefers to focus on the positives in life and relish in the joy that comes with competing on a team with talented women cyclists.

Q. How did you get started in the sport?
A. My old boyfriend bought me a bike and after we broke up I started riding out of spite and fell in love with it. Then I met my husband, Karl, who's now my coach (he was working in a bike shop) and the rest is history.

Q. What's a typical training day like for you? How many miles/week.
A. It varies so much. Early in the year, I may train about 20-25 hours/week and once the race season starts it goes to about 12-15.

Q. Career highlight? Low point?
A.The highlight was completing the 2003 Women's Giro D'Italia (Tour of Italy, 10 days) and the low point, breaking my hip in 1998, and spending six months on crutches.

Q. Can you tell me about your 1998 injury? How has it hindered and even, helped you as an athlete?
A. It has hindered me because my hip is deteriorating and I am in pain about 80 percent of the time. I went through the Chronic Pain Program at Mayo Clinic and it taught me how to live with the condition. Oddly enough, it has helped me in so many ways. When you lose something you love and get the opportunity to do it again, you just make the most of it. I was told I would never be able to ride again and slowly, with a lot of support (from my husband), I made it back. My mental focus is better.

Q. Can you explain the role of a domestique? What is your current role on the team?
A. A domestique is a rider that rides in support of another rider or riders who have a better chance of winning the race. It might be the rider who spends all day in the team cars getting feeds for everyone, dropping back when a teammate flats or crashes to help bridge them back up the pack, attacking or covering attacks to set up an attack of your teammates, or leading out a sprint. It is a sacrificial role. Most of the time, my role is that of a domestique.

Q. How you do you and your husband manage to work together? Do you discuss cycling 24-7? How is it being on the road with him and I guess, having to share his time with other teammates?
A. Karl and I work together really well most of the time. He's incredibly supportive of me. Having been a racer himself, he understands the sport. We do talk about cycling a lot and, yes, there are times when one of us will say "no bike talk". He doesn't actually go on the road with us that much, but when he does it is always great to have him along. I have some amazing teammates and it is really not an issue about sharing time with him, we all get along. Karl and I also try our best to leave our marriage out of the team.

Q. Can you share some thoughts on equal prize money distribution among men and women. At the Sea Otter, the prize money awarded to women, was almost as much as men, $10,000 to $12,000.
A. It is a vicious cycle. The women want more money and the promoters want bigger fields. It is like the chicken and the egg, which comes first? When I do attend a race such as Sea Otter, I make it a point to find the promoter, introduce myself and thank him or her for the equal or nearly equal prize money. I see the promoter's point of view, that the men's fields are usually deeper and the racing more exciting for spectators. That is why I am working so hard to teach women how to race, so that our field sizes will grow.

Q. Can you tell us about your community involvement with the team?
A. Right now, the team is just finishing a week of visiting schools in the south giving presentations on bike safety, nutrition, and providing a glimpse into our lives as full-time racers. On Friday, we spoke to about 800 kids. Everyone on the team believes in the importance of promoting the sport and servicing our sponsors (being good ambassadors for the sport). I am also working with a local kids triathlete group and am putting on a free women's clinc this August. I am also a certified USA Cycling Coach.

Q. What are your goals for this year?
A. To be a good teammate, to help TDS-Schwalbe win some races; contribute to the team's success; race the Giro again and possibly the Tour of Tuscany in the fall; push to a new level of fitness and stay healthy; and have fun and race hard.

Q. Any advice for women interested in competitive cycling? Competitive triathlons?
A. If you want it, you've got to be willing to put in some hard work and dedication. Stick with it, get a coach, get on a team, and try to be patient. It takes time to develop your skills and strength on the bike. Learn how to handle your bike, watch and read about races.

For more information about Shawn and her team, check out www.tdstelecom.com/biketeam/biketeam_home.a sp