Always An Athlete resonates with me as a professional athlete but also for humanity as a whole. There is plenty of science, and Jenné shares it, around the positive impacts of getting involved with and staying involved in sports for life. Research shows that athletics are so beneficial and formative in our young years, but what happens when we stop competing and our identity as an athlete seems to fade away?

Jenné uses her personal story and at the same time amplifies the experience of millions of athletes who feel a little lost when transitioning from their competitive sport into their next athletic chapter. She reinforces why humans must never retire from sports, but instead shift from competition to exploration and play. This shift in focus comes with all the mental, physical, social benefits of sport and none of the stress and pressure.

The best tool to be an athlete for life? A bicycle! She makes a strong case for the bike as a great tool to help in the evolution from competitive lifestyle into wellness lifestyle. As a multi-sport elite athlete I found cycling in my mid 30s and immediately gravitated towards the bike as a way to go places and see things. An unexpected gift from cycling I discovered was the vast community of people to tap into for casual rides, competition, family outings, adventure travel and training. Bottom line, the joy, friendship and benefit we got from the bike as kids is still there for us now as adults, so what are you waiting for? Let’s go ride bikes!

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One of the things that has brought me a lot of joy over the years is riding my bike. I’ve always been an outdoors-type person- at all points in my life...my bike gets me outside and now as a retired professional and Olympic athlete…I’m back into my training athlete mindset where I can just click in and ride for miles. Some of my rides are over 60 miles long. I love the way the breeze gently blows on my face, my arms… it sets me free! What I love about the bike-- is the community that it creates.

I love meeting new friends and building relationships. It is very similar to my years in softball in creating new moments or milestones that I am training for- like triathlons or other long century charity rides. I have been lucky that I have been able to stay so ingrained in the softball culture after my time as a competitive athlete moving into the role of analyst for ESPN. Riding my bike has been a great way for me not only to stay in shape and has definitely helped with my mental health.

Rides when my mind just relaxes and the stress of the world disappears as the gentle breezes flow around my body and engulf me as I ride. In this book, Always An Athlete, Jenne makes the call for greater community and resources for athletes as they transition out of competitive sport. She uniquely does not only want to start the conversation— she wants to tie it in with action and support. Community wide bike rides alongside our sport culture at stadiums... How fun?! I'm in and hope you are as well!

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Jenné felt her own environment and support system change and struggled after retiring— and with a simple bike ride she identified that there was more - not only for her life but for all athletes in sport. We talk about being ready with personal work ethic and hustle when the lights and cameras turn on- but what happens when they turn off?

This book outlines the long climb that athletes face at every level of their journey. It identifies that there are real struggles that come after the game ends - no matter what level athletes achieve. More people need to be talking about mental health in sports. During and after. More people need to discuss the real challenges that athletes face when they are no longer in an environment that fosters community and belonging. Let’s not only talk about this problem but create solutions and systems to support athletes…like a fun bike ride!

The bicycle is a wonderful tool for building community. When you plug into the cycling community, you will find yourself surrounded by like minded people who—like you—are excited to move their body and make new friends. A community bike ride is a wonderful event to kickstart this important conversation around athletes transitioning out of sport into the next phase of their life.

Riding your bike helps you build new relationships and make lifelong friends. Relationships and community are essential for mental health, and a bike ride is a great bridge to creating a sense of belonging…similar to what an athlete may have felt when they were competing in team sport environments. Riding a bike helps your brain and your mental wellbeing. It takes us outside of our normal schedule, gets us outside and helps us gain perspective.

Cycling helps us get into a routine and create new rhythms to keep our physical health a priority. The bike provides us balance and consistency as life changes. Jenne is excited to see people come together around community bike rides and I am thrilled she is bringing this idea and message to the larger sports community. No matter what type of athlete you are, I encourage you to get out and ride!