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Joyously Living Discipleship: a missionary story

posted 1/20/2025

This story is a part of a series of missionary contributions where you’ll hear more about their “why” for defending and celebrating life with Biking for Babies. Clare has been with Biking for Babies for many years as a rider and just completed her first year as a Support Crew member in 2024.


Give me a quick biography: who is Clare Eckard?

CE: I am the third of six children and was born and raised in Okoboji, Iowa where I fell in love with biking. I became interested in biking at a young age largely because my grandfather helped start Okoboji’s “The Campus Ride” which raised money for my hometown’s biking trail system. I completed this ride numerous times during my childhood thanks to my whole family’s love for biking.

I finished my undergraduate degree at Ave Maria University in Politics where I had first learned of Biking for Babies from a classmate. I remember applying the day I heard about it which led me to complete my first National Ride the summer of my freshman year. The idea of combining my growing faith with my passion for endurance sports was exciting and my first ride was a transformational, epic experience!

I continued on to Franciscan University for a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling where I was able to host a team of the DC route riders. It was so fun to get to welcome some familiar and new faces after their day of riding! Currently, I reside in Englewood, CO where I enjoy working at St. Raphael Counseling as a mental health therapist and enjoy Colorado’s many opportunities for endurance sports. I am especially loving downhill skiing and triathlon training. Cycling in Colorado is a dream!

I am a parishioner at Holy Name in Sheridan, CO where I have gotten involved with teaching catechism and the active community life of the parish. Biking for Babies and other ministries have taught me the great value of volunteering.

While in Colorado, I have enjoyed volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity and Catholic Charities. As a therapist, I have also had the opportunity to become trained with Rachel’s Vineyard retreats for post abortive women and am looking forward to being a volunteer on future retreats. I am so excited to have the opportunity to combine my passion for the pro-life cause with my specialities in mental health care. We are all called to be missionary disciples in different ways, and I owe a lot of the formation of my missionary heart to my experiences with Biking for Babies.  

Why do you continue to be involved with Biking for Babies?

CE: I love so much about Biking for Babies and am grateful for different ways I have been able to be involved. The community of Biking for Babies has become like another family for me. When I have prayer requests, I will send them to our Biking for Babies chat and know that I will be covered in powerful prayers. Some years that I haven’t been able to be a missionary, I have still been able to help recruit on college campuses or host. Each year, I discern how I can be involved, and I was excited that last year it worked out to join the support crew team.

Support crew was so good for my soul! It was rewarding and eye opening to participate in serving the needs of the riders. It made me extra grateful for my support crew team members the 3 years I’ve been able to ride. I hope I can stay involved in years to come! 

What qualities or personal missions/charisms within yourself have been enhanced or grown because of your formation with Biking for Babies? How do you continue to live out our mission when you’re not actively being a missionary?

CE: Biking for Babies especially helped me grow in surrender to the Lord which has born fruit in innumerable parts of my life. It has also helped me better understand what joyful suffering means and the priceless value of community. 

I love endurance sports and a big takeaway I have had from Biking for Babies is to help make my exercise a prayer.  

What was your favorite memory from this past year?

CE: One of my favorite memories was staying with the Wiskirchens whom I had met in previous years and totally rock. At their place, we had Mass at 3:45am in the morning with Fr. Tony, who was a rider on our team. Then, we sent the riders off with champagne. Wild adventures bring my soul to life, and this morning felt like a cherry on top of the wild adventure the National Ride is! 

How has praying for the women served by your pregnancy resource center deepened your reverence for the human person?  

CE: Praying for the women has helped my heart be more compassionate for women going through these experiences and grown my love for unborn children. It has also helped keep a fire alive in me to defend the sacredness of life. This helps fuel my work and other callings.  


Clare’s willingness to be a missionary disciple for life joyously captivates everyone who comes into contact with her.

That’s why we are proud she’s a Biking for Babies missionary, for life!

You can find similar impact stories throughout our blog.

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