Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting profitable ladies who’ve made main profession adjustments—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content material officer at Who What Put on, every episode offers you a direct line to ladies who’re sport changers of their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts to remain tuned.
Bicycle owner Kristen Faulkner has completed what many dream of: She has received not one however two Olympic gold medals. So how does one obtain such a serious feat? Rising up in Alaska, she explored numerous sports activities, excelling in lots of. Her athletic prowess caught the eye of recruiters, main her to Harvard, the place she rowed crew and earned a level in pc science. After commencement, she moved to New York to work in enterprise capital, however regardless of her skilled success, Faulkner discovered herself lacking the aggressive thrill of sports activities.
(Picture credit score: Anouk Flesch)
She adopted her good friend’s recommendation and signed up for an introductory biking class in Central Park, the place she immediately turned captivated by the game. Faulkner shortly began getting into novice races, all whereas balancing a demanding profession. Making use of her analytical expertise from enterprise capital, she honed her strengths and tackled her weaknesses with precision. In 2020, she boldly determined to pursue biking professionally, becoming a member of a ladies’s skilled crew. Over the subsequent 4 years, her expertise and willpower led to quite a few victories, catching the eye of USA Biking.
(Picture credit score: Anouk Flesch)
In the summertime of 2024 in Paris, Faulkner’s onerous work culminated in her being named to the U.S. Olympic crew to compete within the Girls’s Group Pursuit occasion. Nonetheless, a coincidence allowed her to additionally take part within the ladies’s street race, the place she was victorious, overtaking the leaders within the closing miles. Days later, she and her teammates received the US’ first-ever gold medal within the Girls’s Group Pursuit, cementing her legacy as considered one of biking’s main skills. Take heed to the newest episode of Second Life to find how Faulkner’s braveness led her to win the extremely coveted gold medal (twice).
(Picture credit score: Zac Williams)
