An interview with Zwift Team Saris racer and elite cyclist Jenn Real.
Hey there! Thanks for the chance to get to know you a bit better. Let's kick things off with a little intro. Can you share a bit about your background—where you're from, what you do, and what lights your fire outside of cycling?
I grew up in Ohio and went to school in California and New York, but Hawaii was home for most of my adult life. My husband built our off-grid house and farm on the Big Island, and I Zwifted off satellite internet and solar power for years. However, two years ago, we moved to Fredericksburg, Texas, and the Texas Hill Country, with its hundreds of miles of minimally trafficked roads, is now home.
I’m an internal medicine physician. Currently, I work in telemedicine, doing night shifts for hospitals nationwide as a hospitalist. This year, I have big plans to start my own telemedicine practice, Real Medicine, focusing on health, longevity, athletes, women’s hormonal issues, and long COVID treatment. Look out for realmedicine.us, coming later this year.
That's awesome! Now, let's dive into your cycling journey. When did you first hop on a bike competitively, and what's been your proudest moment on the road?
I am not a lifelong athlete. I spent most of my time studying for medical school and didn’t do any sport, with minimal exercise, until moving to Hawaii. However, in my late 30s, I volunteered in the Ironman med tent and was really inspired by the 70-year-olds out there doing triathlons. I realized that’s how I wanted to be at that age, so I figured I had better get started.
I started going to spin class, eventually bought a road bike, and made it a goal to do a half Ironman by age 40. That quickly escalated into 70.3s, Xterra worlds, etc., but let’s be honest, swimming sucks, and it’s really all about the bike for me. Unfortunately, we had very few bike races in Hawaii, but when I moved to Texas, I found myself in the middle of bike race heaven.
I threw myself into gravel racing in 2022. In 2023, I did a lot of crit racing to improve my pack skills and get my Cat 2 upgrade. My proudest moment on the road was winning the age group Texas State Championships in 2022 in a solo break. I had never had the guts to go for it like that before. However, since then, I have come full circle and back to my first love of Zwift racing.
Fascinating! Switching gears a bit—tell us about your transition into the world of virtual cycling esports. What got you hooked, and what's the crowning achievement of your indoor career?
There are very few bike races in Hawaii, so I was a very early Zwift racer. I raced on Zwift before I ever raced on the road. I started in 2017, back before there were any women’s-only races. I loved the women’s community on Zwift and the supportive, positive environment. In 2018, I was fortunate enough to race in the live final in Long Beach for the Zwift eCrit series and participated in two of the live CVR events. Those events really got me excited about the potential future of esports.
I started with Team Fearless and eventually started my own women’s esports team in 2020, now Saris Women. As the level of competition has continued to rise every year, it has been a challenge and, honestly, a struggle at times to rise with it. But my love for my team, my girls, and our teamwork keeps bringing me back and keeps me working at it. My bronze medal in January at the USA esports Nationals, with a very stacked field, was my best result to date. I went into that race with no expectations at all, being a bit tired from winning Master’s Nationals the day prior, having done no recon, and just wanting to have some fun with the girls. It just goes to show that a happy heart makes for fast legs, and fun is fast.
I have always loved Zwift racing, but when I moved to Texas, I spent a couple of years more focused on IRL, chasing a Cat 2 upgrade, and gravel results, trying to prove (to whom, I have no idea) that I was “more than a Zwift racer”. However, this winter season has made me realize that esports racing is my true love. I don’t apologize for it, and I no longer feel the need to prove anything to real-world racers. Esports is hard, it is fun, and it is real.
Sounds like a wild ride! Speaking of rides, you're part of a Zwift Grand Prix esports team, right? How has being on a team shaped you, and is there something unique about your team that's led to its success?
Saris (GP brand) and Team Riot (community brand) are what keep me coming back to esports, to the point where I routinely skip real-world events for esports events. Our team’s success is built on teamwork, a low-pressure environment, and a focus on health. We pride ourselves on our teamwork, with everyone 100% all-in for the team goal, not themselves. We also pride ourselves on focusing on balancing health with training and keeping it fun. We have doctors, sports psychologists, and nutritionists on the team.
Performance can easily be unhealthy, and many cyclists make the mistake of sacrificing long-term health for short-term performance. We encourage prioritizing long-term health in all our racers, young and old. We cultivate a low-pressure environment, where fun is first. I have learned that the results will follow if you prioritize fun, health, and teamwork. I have made mistakes along the way, for sure, but I have also learned so much about leadership from these women and continue to experience a lot of personal growth through the team.
Great insights! For context, could you share some of your physical stats, like your indoor personal bests for various power intervals?
I’m 5’4”, 127 lb. My power numbers are really nothing to get excited about. However, my strength is repeatability, that ability to go hard, recover quickly, and go hard again. That is really key in Zwift racing. I also am a pretty good drafter, and you can do a lot against riders with better power, when you know how to draft efficiently on Zwift.
Impressive numbers! Looking ahead, what are your esports goals, both short-term and long-term? Is becoming the UCI Cycling Esports World Champion on your radar, and what does it mean to you?
I have always trained more for the real world, using Zwift racing for much of my intensity. However, this year I plan to really focus on training for esports. In 2024, I will finally take a real off-season, and then build and train specifically for the UCI Worlds.
My goals are to do my best with what I have, keep my priorities straight, and bravely walk the path that God sets before me. It is easy to let cycling become your whole identity, to the detriment of the rest of your life. I have done that and learned from it. Remember: it’s important, but it’s not that important.
That's ambitious! How do you feel about the current multi-platform landscape of esports championships, both nationally and internationally?
Competition is good for cyclists and for esports platforms. With MyWhoosh entering the playing field, we now have a live final for the UCI Worlds, which I am thrilled about. Live finals are what have been missing heavily from esports for the past five years. Also, the competition among esports platforms has led to the development of the Zwift Games and the first USA National Championships on Zwift, so I am optimistic about what else the future will bring. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Interesting perspective. There are skeptics who question the legitimacy of esports. What's your take on the challenges esports faces in gaining recognition and trust?
This is a very valid concern. Putting aside the cheating element, there are still massive issues. We are using these trainers for a job they were not designed for. Even in GP with the 1% requirement, that doesn’t solve the problem. One trainer reading 2% higher than another is a huge deal at this level.
To take this sport to the next level, equipment must be standardized, producing reproducible, accurate power numbers in which we can have confidence. I hope that we are building the market and the equipment will follow. As I look at it, we are still beta-testing a new sport. It will grow and evolve and keep getting better and better. I am cautiously optimistic about the news regarding UCI trainer accuracy testing.
Well said! With multiple platforms available for esports, where do you see yourself fitting in? Do you race on more than one platform? Are there features on one platform that you prefer over others?
I race mostly on Zwift, but I really do enjoy indieVelo as well, especially in the summer when the Zwift racing scene has died down. I love the wind in indieVelo, as it makes for much more dynamic racing. Also, I feel like indieVelo physics lines up more accurately with the real world. I love climbing in the real world and on indieVelo. Not so much in Zwift, though! After the Zwift Games, I plan to start riding on MyWhoosh to get used to their physics for UCI Worlds.
Good to know! What do you think could make virtual cycling more engaging for spectators?
The broadcasters could use better tools from Zwift to make the racing more engaging for the general public. Try watching a Zwift race with someone who doesn’t Zwift race. They will have a hard time following the race and what is happening. I would like to see live speed and gradients during GP broadcasts, not just w/kg. In community broadcasting, I would like to see live points updates in ZRL points races. I like what ZCL has been doing with the rider energy bars recently.
That's a thought-provoker! Looking into the crystal ball, where do you see esports in five years or even further down the line?
While I would love to see esports in the regular Olympics someday, we are not ready for that yet. I think it will be a hard sell until the equipment can be more standardized/verified. I’m cautiously optimistic about the UCI’s foray into trainer verification and will see how that progresses. The Olympic Esports games will be a great start, and I think that will give the sport and the technology the time and financial incentive it needs to keep advancing.
Intriguing! Now, for a fun twist—give us an exclusive. What's something about you that even your mates don't know?
I was on the jump rope team in grade school! LOL
Fantastic! Thanks for this enlightening conversation. Wishing you all the best!
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
