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
Instagram: @theadventurestache
YouTube: Payson McElveen