This episode is an interview with Kara Goucher. Kara lives in Boulder where she is a wife and mom, and a Track and Field analyst for NBC Sports. Kara grew up in Minnesota, finding the sport of running through her grandpa, then went on to run for the University of Colorado where she was a 3x NCAA champion. After college, Kara went on to run professionally for Nike Oregon Project, and was a 5x member of Team USA including a 2x Olympian and World Silver Medalist. While at NOP, she suffered years of abuse at the hands of coach Alberto Salazar and went on to co-author the book, The Longest Race, about her experience. She gave birth to her son, and competed at the Boston Marathon just 4.5 months after he was born due to pressure from her sponsor. Kara ultimately left Nike and continued to run professionally for Oiselle, finishing a heartbreaking 4th at the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials. Kara was recently diagnosed with repetitive exercise dystonia, and has gone back to her roots of running for the love of the sport.
Kara shares her inspiring story, and topics we discuss include:
- How her relationship with food that formed from an early age growing up in the midwest helped her throughout her running career
- Her period of under fueling due to the misconception that lighter would be faster, and the impact that had on her body long term
- How finding cooking during an injury and time away from sport helped her improve her relationship with food and find purpose outside of running
- Kara's experience in a toxic team environment with coach Alberto Salazar, including her experience with body shaming and controlled food intake
- What is was like being forced back into running 1 week after giving birth and the pressure she experienced from her sponsor to come back on an unrealistic timeline that was ultimately detrimental to her health
- What it's like raising a son who also loves to run, and how she's allowing him to make the decisions
- Navigating a neurological condition that impacts running, and what running means to her now
A special thank you to Hettas for sponsoring today's episode! You can learn more about the shoe designed specifically for women on their website HERE.
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