Er... wrote:
I find Kara's blog post sort of strange..
Remember you're hearing this through Kara's lens, who like anyone makes themselves and their situation seem just a little bit better than in reality. Let's count the overly egotistical sentences in her public and promoted blog that reveal her insecurities:
1. "Once again, Nike wanted to renew..." Notice she doesn't say it was a lousy enough offer to stop her from looking around?
2. "Sally Bergesen, the CEO and founder, and I ended up chatting on the phone." Not just anyone. The CEO. She needs you to know that.
3. "She [The CEO] wants to be my friend. Oiselle loves me." Yep, the company head wants to be her friend. We ALL do, Kara.
4. " Could I have helped change the running industry? Could I have inspired others? " Seriously, how far up her own a*s is this woman's head?
Like most pro athletes, Kara's marketability has much more to do with the way she reaches jane public than it does with her past and prospective performances. I don't think Oiselle thinks for a second Kara will contend for a world championship again. Possibly not even a national championship. But Kara is brilliant at appealing to women runners. Her look, her manner of speaking and writing and her social media presence are all a great tool in their belt. Only question is if Oiselle factored in how much less relevant she'll be each year she's no longer an elite-level runner.