Jessie Diggins Retired in March and Just Won a 100-Mile Trail Race in the Rain

Jessie Diggins retired from cross-country skiing in March with four Olympic medals and four overall World Cup titles on her resume. By September, she had won the 100-mile Superior Fall Trail Race in northern Minnesota, finishing in roughly 25 hours through rocky terrain and pouring overnight rain. It was her first time racing the distance and her third long trail race since stepping away from skiing.

For Diggins, the race wasn’t about launching a second career. She described it as pure fun, a chance to test herself on her own terms. Along the way, she also opened up about the economics of her sport, noting that if she’d had the equivalent career as an NHL player, she probably wouldn’t have to think about a next job right away. She’s now channeling that honesty into a speaking career focused on mental health, grit, and teamwork.

Spectators drove up from the Twin Cities just to watch her pass through aid stations in the dark and the rain. Whatever comes next, Diggins is proof that retirement from one thing can be the start of something else entirely. What’s a challenge you’ve taken on just for the fun of it?