With Pace
Professional mountain biker Payson McElveen sits down with some of the biggest names in sports and adventure to get an inside look at what sets them apart. With no script, the casual conversations are as diverse as the guests, with topics ranging from harrowing tales of survival, to debates on current events, to everyday tips and tricks and everything in between. As Payson travels the world for his two-wheeled day job, listen in as he rubs shoulders with and learns from some of the most inspiring athletes, entrepreneurs, academics, and others as they chase and inspire greatness.
With Pace
Ellen Noble on early retirement and starting conversations about mental health
In 2018, 2x cyclocross national champion Ellen Noble was coming off the best season in her life when she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. After another season of racing, she went all-in on training in 2020 and was ready for her comeback, but a crash early in the season left her with a broken back and a resurgence in symptoms from her disease. Even under these circumstances, she never considered retirement until her coach, Allen Lim, told her that she didn’t have to be a professional athlete anymore. With this life-changing conversation, Ellen stepped back from racing and started a new chapter.
In this conversation, she talks to Payson about why the idea of retiring was so foreign, why she needed “permission” to end her professional racing career, and how she navigated the months that followed. Since 2021, she’s started a podcast and dipped a toe into race commentary, appearing as a live broadcaster for multiple events including the Cyclocross World Championships. She also talks about why she's chosen to speak openly about depression and her use of SSRIs. Though many professional athletes struggle with the emotional toll of their careers, there remains a stigma around talking about it. By starting conversations about her own journey and those of her podcast guests, Ellen hopes to make it easier for others to open up.
Ellen's podcast: This One's for You
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YouTube: Payson McElveen