She may not be able to catch the "Late Show with David Letterman" or the 11 p.m. "SportsCenter" on ESPN. But Sarah Uhl doesn't seem to mind. The Pennridge High (Pa.) junior has more important things to do.

While most 16-year-olds are still dreaming in their beds,

Uhl, a competitive cyclist, rises at 5 a.m. seven days a week. After the early-morning wake-up, she heads down to her family's basement to ride a stationary bike for 20 minutes. The next phase of her day consists of getting to school, where Uhl carries an A average.

It's then back home and off to the Lehigh Valley Velodrome (a 333-meter track) to ride 30 miles. Following that workout, Uhl sometimes competes in a training race of another 30 miles. Her day wraps up with dinner, homework and getting to bed at 9 p.m. sharp.

"I'm very strict about that (bedtime)," says Uhl. "I mean, I have to get up at 5 every day."

	Sarah Uhl is constantly on the move.

Uhl says she's constantly on the move. Her mother, Hope McAdam, completely understands the life of a cyclist. She has been riding her entire life and introduced Uhl to the sport.

"By being a cyclist myself, I can show her the discipline involved," says McAdam, who took Uhl to watch the 1996 Olympic Trials at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome, which inspired the youngster to take up the sport. "I can tell her about the suffering and how difficult it is to get better. I think it has helped her better relate to the physical and psychological side of the sport."

Uhl competes in track competitions as well as road races. The ever-modest teen has little difficulty transitioning from one to the other.

"I like to do it all. I'm successful at both," boasts Uhl.

That's an understatement. Of all her accomplishments, Uhl says she is most proud of two particular events. Last November, the 16-year-old went to Cordoba, Argentina, to compete at the Junior Pan American Championships. There, she rode past the competition in four races, winning the road race (a longer race within the city), the individual time trial (track), the 500-meter time trial and the match sprint (track). Also last year, Uhl earned the honor to race at the EDS Elite National Track Cycling Championships in Pennsylvania. Going against all ages, not just juniors (18-and-under), Uhl scored a second-place finish in the points race and a fourth-place finish in the match sprint.

"Racing against the adult women makes all the difference in the world," says the teen. "Their ability level is so much higher (than the juniors). It helps me push myself more."

The question is, to what?

"At the end of the tunnel is the Olympics, but that's after I'm done racing with the juniors," says Uhl. "I could see myself racing as a pro someday."

Letterman and "SportsCenter" will just have to wait.