The series of memoirs continues, and may not stop as I have my eyes on Des Linden’s book next! The title of Kara Goucher (@karagoucher)’s book, The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike’s Elite Running Team gives a quick overview of the heavy topics that she discusses in the book. With the writing help of sports journalist Mary Pilon, she reveals the sexual and mental abuse that she went through while running for Nike on the Oregon project, under the coaching of Alberto Salazar. She also points at how anti-doping rules were pushed to their limit (or even crossed?).
The reading isn’t always perfect, but I still recommend the audio book. Kara is reading it and it is still really moving to hear her emotion as she re-lives the dramatic episodes of her life.
Kara has been speaking up against doping practices, in particular through the Podcast, Clean Sports Collective for multiple years but it is the first time she opens up with so many details and also describes the sexual abuse from Roberto Salazar.
She has given multiple interviews about her book and I particularly recommend the interview from Des Linden on their joint podcast Nobody asked with by Des & Kara.
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