In its classical sense, transition refers to the passage from one way of being or living to another, from one condition to a new and different one. In a contemporary sporting sense, transition describes the path taken by Jimmy Whelan: moving from a professional career in cycling into a new chapter as a runner.

A transition that is, in many ways, unique: driven by decisions rooted in an emotional dimension, yet built on solid foundations: those of a first passion. In the case of this multifaceted Australian, that passion is, quite simply, running. In between lies a long chapter at the highest level of cycling, followed by a growing desire for change, and its eventual realisation.

From the WorldTour peloton to the Valencia Half Marathon, completed in just 61 minutes: the first tangible sign of a transformation that is not an end in itself, but one that is deeply competitive and ambitious. At the beginning of this new chapter, we gathered his testimony: words that speak of change and courage, as much as of excellence. Accompanying it is a gallery seen through the lens of Marco Trunz during the latest ‘más. 5K’ in Berlin.

Let’s start in Australia, in Melbourne. On one side, your sporting life began on the track, where you ran the 800, 1500, and 3000 meters. On the other, due to an injury, you soon embraced cycling as well. What kind of relationship did you build with these two disciplines during your teenage years? What did physical effort mean to a young Jimmy Whelan?

“When I was younger, sport was my identity. At school, I was the sporty kid, and I really enjoyed that being my personality. At first, I played tennis very competitively, and football as well. But in the end, around Year 9 and Year 10, my passion became running. I just loved how hard it was: the sense of purpose you get from it, the reward, and also the failure. Learning those things as a kid was really valuable. I didn’t really become competitive at a national level until Year 12, when I was 18. That’s when I had a big growth spurt, I grew about 20 centimeters, and suddenly I could actually run fast. That’s when I realised I could try to go to college for running. That became my goal. Then I got injured when I was 20, and that’s when I started cycling. From there, within about a year and a half, I was racing professionally. It was a really fast transition.”

Then came the victory at the U23 Tour of Flanders, the move into professional cycling, and the arrival at legendary races like the Giro d’Italia. How did reaching the highest level of cycling change the way you understand sport, and life itself? What are the pros and cons of a career at that level?

“Without sport, I think I would naturally be quite shy and not very confident. But through running, and then cycling, I started to believe in my process, in my training, and in myself. I developed what I sometimes call a ‘toxic trait’, but it’s also what gets me places. If I think I can do something, then I believe I can do it. I just have to work. I think that’s why a lot of athletes can come across as arrogant or overconfident, because they need that mindset to justify the process and get to where they want to be. In that sense, the personality I had as a runner carried through into cycling. The core principles stayed the same: hard work, sacrifice, and often extreme sacrifice. For me, that meant moving overseas, living at altitude, and learning a sport at a professional level that I hadn’t grown up doing. That was challenging in itself. It’s also a very dangerous sport. There are risks everywhere: not just physically, but also in terms of career stability. The training builds strength, discipline, and routine, but the real hardening comes from everything around it: living abroad, dealing with contracts, the uncertainty of teams folding. In a team of thirty riders, maybe ten have secure contracts. The rest are always under pressure. It’s a very stressful existence. I learned to be happy in that environment, and I think I matured very quickly, maybe too quickly. When I look back, I was motivated and happy, but also highly stressed. If you compare photos of me then and now, I look much more relaxed today.”

You mentioned moving overseas. How did experiencing different cultures shape the way you see the world?

“In every sense, I’m different. Particularly being Australian: many people go to school in Australia, go to university there, finish their degree, buy a house, and the only time they really travel is for a European holiday, maybe going to Rome. You don’t really see the true world that way. When you travel constantly and experience different cultures, you see both the good and the bad of different places. When I look back at my cycling career, it’s crazy to think about how many places I went to and how many people I met: so many exceptional people at the top of their field. That includes staff, team managers, athletes, and also people you meet on training camps in places you’ve never been before. It really feels like I lived ten lifetimes’ worth of experience in a career that only lasted seven years. It’s easy to forget how much I developed in that period. When I go back to Australia and see my friends, I realize how fortunate I’ve been. A lot of them don’t have that same perspective. I’m just lucky that my sport allowed me to see all of that.”

Then came the transition to triathlon, and in particular, back to running. What reflections, emotions, and ambitions led you to make that decision? And how was the transition, both mentally and physically, between these sports?

“When I was riding for Team Q36.5, that was my last professional contract. I crashed at the Dauphiné before the Tour de France, after five weeks at altitude. That crash was part of a bigger accumulation: stress, previous crashes, everything building up over time. I remember being in hospital and feeling completely numb. I didn’t care about my injuries. I just felt unhappy. That’s when I realized I had lost the passion for racing. So I called my team and said, this is my last season. I’m not racing my bike again. It was a very satisfying decision, but then very quickly, you realize you need to figure out what comes next. If cycling has been your identity, you suddenly feel lost. You still need to build a life, earn money, find direction. After talking with friends, I decided to keep trying to be an athlete. I explored triathlon as a transition, because I couldn’t go straight from cycling to running without risking injury. I needed a period of cross-training. Triathlon worked well. I built a community around what I was doing, and I tried to tell a story through it. But in the end, my real passion was always running. So I decided to take a month off to reset, then go all in on running and try to reach a level where I could get a professional contract. The goal was to run a time that would make that possible. That race became the Valencia Half Marathon. The build-up was about 12 weeks, but only a few weeks were really intense. Still, I could see my level improving: my threshold was getting close to 2:55/km in training. I knew that if I could do that in training, I could race at that level. And that’s what happened. It took a lot of self-belief, and there were moments where I questioned whether it was worth it. But I’m very glad I followed through. Coming back to Europe as a professional runner: it felt like a dream come true. It’s strange to lose a childhood dream at 21 and then return to it almost a decade later and actually achieve it.”

At Athleta, we believe sport is art and culture. Given your multisport background, where do you see physical activity becoming a form of artistic and cultural expression?

“Running is definitely an art form. It’s very pure, and it brings out real emotion: both from the athlete and from the place itself. In a city like Barcelona, you can feel that energy. Personally, I feel most in touch with myself when I’m competing at a high level. When you push beyond your limits, that becomes a form of expression. What I love about running is that everyone shares that experience. Someone aiming for one hour and someone aiming for two hours in a half marathon feel the same sense of purpose. That shared energy at the start line is incredible. It’s something I didn’t feel in the same way in cycling, where the experience is more separated between professionals and everyone else.”

How does your interpretation of a cycling race differ from that of a running race?

“Cycling is much more complex. There are many variables that can influence your performance: far more than in running. In running, things are simpler: you train, you arrive fit, and if everything is in place, you perform. In cycling, you can have a bad moment and still recover later in the race. In running, you don’t have that opportunity. You have one continuous effort. That simplicity is something I really enjoy. In races, you just get into a group and run. There’s less to think about. At the same time, that simplicity can make it very hard if you’re not having a good day: there’s no way to hide.”

Alongside all of this, you’ve also developed your voice as a communicator and storyteller. Why did you decide to share your current journey publicly? And what was it like to document your Valencia PB?

“It’s a balance. Training at this level already takes a lot of energy, and documenting it can easily become overwhelming. There are times when I need to step away from it completely. But I also enjoy the creative side: filming, editing, and sharing moments from my life. People respond well to it, and that motivates me to continue. What I try to show most is the behind-the-scenes aspect: daily life, not just workouts. Especially being Australian and living in Barcelona, people are curious about that experience. At the same time, I’m aware that sharing publicly brings criticism as well. That’s part of it.”

Among the steps you’re taking in this new phase of your sporting life, and beyond, what did the más. 5K in Berlin represent for you?

“It was a chance to actually return to Berlin after a poor performance in the half marathon last month. It was also an opportunity to run my first proper 5k and see how fast I could go in an event that is quite short for me. I was happy with the performance and also how cool the event was. I would like to break 13:30 on the roads in my career. I am really enjoying this new running lifestyle as I meet new people in new cities all chasing fast times. How cool.” 

In Berlin, we saw wet streets and difficult weather conditions. How much do those variables affect your approach to performance? 

“As a cyclist, when it was raining on race day it was quite a stressful and serious reality. It was quite nice to be at a running race knowing the conditions would not affect my performance and safety in the way it does in professional cycling. The rain and light actually created a moody feel that was quite intense and cool to witness over such a short and intense 13 minutes. Obviously rain and such conditions create slower variables for performance, but I did not mind, my priority was to enjoy the race and be competitive at the front rather than purely running fast.”

What thoughts and images crossed your mind during such an intense and quick race set against the backdrop of Berlin’s beauty? 

“The sunset, water and light through the gardens created a super unique backdrop for an intense race effort. There were heaps of talented creatives who were able to capture this feeling and it was really cool to share some of the imagery. High performance running is such an intense and emotional moment if it’s captured well, and the evening was a perfect example of this.”

Your goal is to break every Australian road record. With what kind of confidence, and what kind of uncertainty, are you approaching that pursuit?

“I’m confident because I know the level I’ve reached and the training I’ve done. From the Valencia Half Marathon and the preparation behind it, I believe I can run under 60 minutes. The marathon is more uncertain: that will depend on how I handle the later stages of the race. But I’m not afraid to state those goals publicly. As a professional athlete, I think it’s important to be clear about what you’re aiming for. It puts pressure on me, but it also creates interest and accountability. People are curious to see what I can do.”

In this new chapter of your career, how did your partnership with Salomon come together?

“It feels like a very natural fit. They were the first brand to approach me, and they’ve been very supportive. They have a strong connection between performance, science, and storytelling, and they work closely with their athletes. They’re also very selective, especially in road running, which makes it feel special to be part of the team. It’s a modern approach to the sport, and I’m really proud to be working with them.”