Blog

Competition, Mud, and Speed on Two Wheels

Posted on January 18th, 2012 by The Firm

Congratulations to GHAR’s own Elizabeth Heller, who took second place in the UCI Master’s World Championships this past Sunday in Louisville, KY, and third place in the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, held in Verona, WI, earlier this month.

Elizabeth Heller with her her second-place medal from the 2012 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships - photo by Diana Linsley

Cyclo-cross isn’t a typical bike race. It’s a fast course on pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike while navigating the obstructions and remount. And since races are usually held during the Fall and Winter, rain, wind, snow – and mud – is common. Competitors often change bicycles mid-race so mud can continually be power-washed washed off in the pit area. Falls are common in cyclo-cross, and so are broken bones.

“It was four inches of frozen, muddy ruts, but it was a great course,” Heller said of the 1.5-mile, 50 minute race on Jan. 14. “I hope to win next year.”

Elizabeth began competing in triathlons after graduating from Beloit College in 1980. A natural-born competitor, she decided to switch to cycling, and has continued to pursue it as a passion over the years.

She started with triathlons, but soon put all her training toward cycling, which served her well. She was the Missouri State Road Race Champion 10 years in a row (1988-1996) and the Missouri State Mountain Bike Champion for five consecutive years (1990-1995). She is also a five-time Missouri State Criterium Champion, five-time Missouri State 40-K Time Trial Champion and has four U.S.C.F. National Masters Championship titles to her name (1989 and 1990). In 1992, she and a blind male partner won silver medals in the Paralympics Tandem Road Race in Barcelona, Spain.

After joining Goldenberg Heller Antognoli & Rowland in 1991, she continued to cycle competitively in the 1990s. In 1999 she was named Cyclist of the Decade by the St. Louis Cycling Club. Then, after a 15 year break, she returned to competitive racing in the form of cyclo-cross.

“It’s no walk in the park. When you’re 54 you’re as old as your mother used to be. I think I’m crazy, but then I see others out here who are just as crazy as I am,” Elizabeth says. “I’ll keep doing it as long as I can.”

Elizabeth Heller (L) takes 2nd place in the UCI Master's World Championships