Washington Post Book Review: “Kara Goucher and Lauren Fleshman reveal what’s wrong with women running.”

I wish women like Sarah Hall (adopted 4 kids, pro runner, full time mom) or Aisha Praught would be highlighted more, and these two angry/bitter examples of female runners less. More balance in highlighted athletes so as not to skew public opinion would be greatly appreciated; but I also understand that’s not how the world works.

The market has spoken

Perhaps they are the exception, and not the rule.
I’m not sure, I’m not a woman. But there seems to be quite a few women runners who are unhappy with the ‘system.’

Are you a woman?

There are a number of people who feel left out and so they do nothing but complain and hate on others

Are you a biologist?

Derp.

These books' target audience isn't the men's liberation army on letsrun. You guys already have Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson to fill that niche.

What happened to Kara was truly terrible although to make that a narrative about the sport as opposed to an evil individual is ridiculous. I didn't see anyone defending Salazar there. For the most part barbs at Kara were well before the abuse allegations and I think most of people who made them would have had different opinions if they had known what her coach had done to her.

Fleshman on the other hand is a whiny look at me millennial from a privileged background. Oh my god, she had a hard time coping with being an elite athlete while trying to start a mediocre bar company which she was able to unload for $12M to bubble funded wannabee lifestyle brand that's stock has imploded to the tune of a 98% collapse since the transaction and will soon be worth nothing. The poor thing.

Apparently you have not read Fleshman's book. Her background is hardly privileged.

You need market research that determines how unhappy a person is . The unhappy women runner will feel reinforcement reading a very unhappy runner . This is a research list , where 1 is the most unhappy.

1. women runners

2. women basketball

3. women synchronized swimming

If you’re not a straight-white-male, it’s all but a requirement that your “story” be related to or told in terms of this-ism or that-phobia. It’s what the media likes right now, it’s what they think the people want to hear. If they can’t tell your “story” in terms of hardship and oppression, the media doesn’t want to know about you.

Joanie, Deena and Shalane seem to be well adjusted too. Desi goes about her business. The list goes on and one

In 1975, the mile was the longest race that Joan Benoit Samuelon was allowed to participate in. That's less than 50 years ago. For a good chunk of that time, girls distance running was just bolted onto the boys team, with the same person coaching both sexes. I'm not surprised that big improvements are in store for women's running.

You realize it's 2023 now right? From the efforts of Greta Waitz et al in the 70's early 80's to the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984 to a WR of 2:14:04, I'd say there's been a number of "big improvements" in women's running.

Good point on why isn't, Sara Hall and her upcoming daughters being featured? I'm sure Sara has good insight about bring coached by her husband.

mic DROP 👏

Their target is the middle class woman who claims to be “oppressed” because of “the patriarchy”