coachcommentsnicely wrote:
What kind of job gives 8 months maternity?
In germany you get A FULL YEAR at 70% of your old pay. So um yeah it exists even for jobs that are not as physically demanding as pro running. In physical jobs its a necessity to let your body heal.
"It definitely took a huge toll on me physically. The day I gave birth, I ran for 50 minutes and lifted weights. Five months after my son was born, I ran a half marathon. At six months, I ran the Boston Marathon. Nine months out, I qualified for the World Championships. Then I got a stress fracture because it was too much.
Pushing myself like that definitely shortened my elite career, but once I stopped getting paid, I knew I was going to have to return quickly. I ran 120 miles a week while nursing, and I had a breakdown in my doctor's office. She said, “You cannot do this. This is too much stress on your body.” But instead of saying to Nike, “I can't run this marathon that you guys want me to run,” I chose to stop nursing my son, which I now regret, but that’s the choice I felt I had to make.
Today, I have chronic hip issues because I kept getting stress fractures as a result of rushing back when my body wasn't healed. If I had just been given eight months to heal, maybe I’d be fighting to go to the Olympics next year. Instead, I still run a lot, but I run for myself now."
Valid points or is she a huge crybaby narcissist?
Full Interview
https://www.marieclaire.com/career-advice/a28752423/paid-leave-female-athletes/[/quote]
Well, no shi# Sherlock, that certainly screwed up her hips and shortened her career, but one can never predict if it could have cost her two Olympics running for USA (which is pretty tough team to make these days compared to others).
Even the Kenyans and Ethiopians take 1-2 years off racing post-partum to allow their bodies to recover and all their tendons to get back into proper place. I know I could barely walk properly a month after I gave birth... It's really not a cakewalk like some Letsrun keyboard-warriors believe.
Post-partum running is an individual process, if you aren't hitting certain benchmarks you aren't ready to return to running. It's a long and tricky process, but within a few years you can come back stronger than before (not within 5 months even for most well trained ladies, get real!)
Erm, no. FMLA only guarantees 12 weeks unpaid in a 12 month period. Want more than that and you are out of a job. That's #Merica. Where they want us ladies to be baby making machines but provide no protection in our employment.
Effillo wrote:
coachcommentsnicely wrote:
What kind of job gives 8 months maternity?
Erm, every job.
There's some interesting stuff in Matt Fitzgerald's book on Goucher during this exact time period that sheds light on a lot of these claims.
Kara has been pretty open about eating disorders during some of her career - collegiate if I remember correctly. Prior to Nike influence.
runningchick wrote:
coachcommentsnicely wrote:
What kind of job gives 8 months maternity?
In germany you get A FULL YEAR at 70% of your old pay. So um yeah it exists even for jobs that are not as physically demanding as pro running. In physical jobs its a necessity to let your body heal.
Why do you make stuff up? In Germany you get 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after.
Are you kidding me???
This chick is a total NUT JOB!!! How come she doesn't just go away???
Who the F**K runs the same day as giving birth??? Really??? Don't even try to peddle that lame excuse the Nike "Pressured" you to run. She's clearly obsessive compulsive and literally has no life outside of running (Sorry Adam). I'm sure that her Ultra-Running career has nothing to do with her chronic hip issues. What's next? Is her kid having issues because mommy couldn't keep her boob in his mouth long enough? Or maybe Psycho-Mommy didn't want to breast feed anymore because it made her boobs too big??? Kinda hard to breast feed when your trying to run 120 miles a week. I'm all for compensated pregnancy leave (I have a wife and kids), did she sit down with Nike and try to negotiate a compensated leave package for 12 months??? Did she address the possibility of becoming pregnant prior to signing her contract? Hmmmmmm....probably not. I'm sure Nike and any other shoe company would be open to making a compromise. Maybe some extra PR work while on leave?
Hey Kara!!!!! Get a freakin' life and go away. You've now tainted your once great reputation and are now embarrassing yourself and your family. Making excuses for your failed "Comeback" and bad races has now made you a total JOKE!!!
I see a lawsuit waiting to happen.............
It was her decision to get knocked up. She could either have waited or not gotten pregnant, or chosen an alternative option such as adoption. Look at Sarah Hall - adopted four children and still running great and just about 4 years younger than Kara. Sarah - certainly NOT selfish. Kara . . . well?? That's debatable.
lrc vett wrote:
lrc vett wrote:
But I'm quite a loser myself and like misrepresenting her and others every chance I get.
You just proved my point. This is the kind of maturity the rabid Kara bashers have. Pathetic handle stealing because they have no substance or intellect.
But I've no intellect either, I'm just an obsessed old man fan of a "never was" female runner who was highly overrated.
Dr Taboo wrote:
Kara blames Nike for basically everything that went wrong in her life and says that if she was given 8 months after pregnancy, she may be fighting to go to the Olympics next year.
"It definitely took a huge toll on me physically. The day I gave birth, I ran for 50 minutes and lifted weights. Five months after my son was born, I ran a half marathon. At six months, I ran the Boston Marathon. Nine months out, I qualified for the World Championships. Then I got a stress fracture because it was too much.
Pushing myself like that definitely shortened my elite career, but once I stopped getting paid, I knew I was going to have to return quickly. I ran 120 miles a week while nursing, and I had a breakdown in my doctor's office. She said, “You cannot do this. This is too much stress on your body.” But instead of saying to Nike, “I can't run this marathon that you guys want me to run,” I chose to stop nursing my son, which I now regret, but that’s the choice I felt I had to make.
Today, I have chronic hip issues because I kept getting stress fractures as a result of rushing back when my body wasn't healed. If I had just been given eight months to heal, maybe I’d be fighting to go to the Olympics next year. Instead, I still run a lot, but I run for myself now."
Valid points or is she a huge crybaby narcissist?
Full Interview
https://www.marieclaire.com/career-advice/a28752423/paid-leave-female-athletes/
If you are an elite female athlete you have to weigh the consequences of having a child with your career and personal finances. People working regular jobs make decisions regarding children on things like ability to pay daycare or support the family off one source of income. If you are an elite female athlete you should understand the potential consequences of having a child on your career and take that into your decision. Some female runners like Shalene have not had a kid or Sara Hall adopted.
If you can negotiate maternity into your contract great for you. But if you didn't and then have a kid and whine about the structure of the contract I don't want to hear about it.
Nike should not be pushing their athletes to do anything unsafe or unhealthy, that would be wrong. I don't think we know the exact truth of what went down in this situation, I'm sure Nike wasn't great, but Kara has a tendency to play the role of the victim. Nike or any other sponsor should be under no obligation to adjust the terms of their contract because an athlete decides to have a baby. If they want to great for them, but as an athlete, a lot of your value is in your ability to perform and having a child does affect that.
Nike was wrong for not giving better maternity leave.
However Kara should own to the fact that she could have taken care of herself better. Yes they might put pressure on you but your an adult that can use your own common sense.
What’s with runners lately blaming everyone else for their struggles? It’s time to grow up people.
Wait what?
She criticizes Nike for not giving maternity leave. They go ahead and start giving it and she complains some more (rather than applauding them for doing something). Ultimately she is the one who is responsible for her body. If she feels what she is asked to do by her employer is too much, then she is free to not do those things and seek employment elsewhere. Nobody can deny the physical tolls pregnancy takes on a person's body (I would question the wisdom of running at 9 months pregnant as the extra weight she is carrying at that point is going to take it's toll on a person's joints, bones, etc. not to mention the impact of the calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients that are being removed by the baby). Unfortunately she chose to be in a profession that is entirely dependent upon her body and made some poor choices with her body during that process.
Hot Buns wrote:
My buddy asked why clothing companies even sponsor any runners to begin with. He's a pretty big sports nut, and was only able to name one professional female distance runner (Des (only by "Des")), and two current male distance runners, and retired "Meb." When asked to name a current track athlete, a female jock/recreational runner in my office was only able to name retired Usain Bolt. She came recite the entire MLB All Star lineup and the basically all of the NBA All Stars.
Do companies really get any return on investment by sponsoring runners, and especially distance runners?
It's a difficult subject. Beggers/choosers.
Umm. Okay, so you spoke to two people who aren’t interested in T&F and they couldn’t name many runners. I’m not sure what sort of point that is supposed to make.
I imagine that if there were absolutely no ROI, the companies wouldn’t sponsor. That doesn’t seem to be the point. As I’m reading this, the question is whether their policies are ruining athletes and, presumably, any further value they may have to their sponsor.
runningchick wrote:
coachcommentsnicely wrote:
What kind of job gives 8 months maternity?
In germany you get A FULL YEAR at 70% of your old pay. So um yeah it exists even for jobs that are not as physically demanding as pro running. In physical jobs its a necessity to let your body heal.
What is your source on that? All I could find was 6 weeks before birth and 8 weeks after birth at full pay.
joedirt wrote:
runningchick wrote:
In germany you get A FULL YEAR at 70% of your old pay. So um yeah it exists even for jobs that are not as physically demanding as pro running. In physical jobs its a necessity to let your body heal.
What is your source on that? All I could find was 6 weeks before birth and 8 weeks after birth at full pay.
The 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after is for maternity leave. Then after that Germany has "Family Leave". This article (which outlines other countries' options (mostly some portion paid unlike the US)) says it's 60% for a year and then unpaid for up to 3 years.
https://www.businessinsider.com/maternity-leave-worldwide-2017-8#germany-mothers-can-take-up-to-three-years-family-leave-11She ain't cute, ain't hot, is dumb as a rock and way old.
Why was she even with nike when she knew it was a doping factory? She has zero credibility because she hung around sleazy sal right up to the minute the money was cut off.
Precious Roy wrote:
It is interesting how AlSal and Nike are incredibly protective of Rupp, but were willing to put Kara's career at risk when she had a baby.
I am not sure the post-pregnancy training damaged Kara as much as she claims. She had a very strong season in 2011. But she does have a valid point. Women need to have sufficient time to recover from pregnancy and the coaches and sponsors should be responsible for protecting their athletes.
Returning to intense running training post pregnancy can cause some significant injury issues for women. Muscles and ligaments loosen to allow a woman to give birth, the pelvis widens to allow birth ... these things can lead to chronic injury problems if a woman returns to intense training too soon. So it is very possible that she has had issues due to returning too soon. However, I also believe that part was pressure to return to racing from her sponsor, and part of it was probably her own inner drive to get back to competing.
Kara,
Nobody made you pursue a career in a sport that generates no money. Nor did they force you to conceive. As an adult you must assess the gravity of your decisions against your own selfish needs
I'm not sure what we should be expecting from the shoe companies in these scenarios. Kara is running the races and Kara gets the medals, this isn't a team sport and there's no Team Nike. Do we expect benefits like dental from a shoe sponsor? Why the shoe sponsor and not the sunglasses or nutrition sponsor?
I think there are a lot of contractor vs employee situations where the big company is screwing the worker, but I just don't see it in running. It's a case where there's very little money to be made in the sport so everyone is looking at the only person in the room with deep pockets - the shoe sponsor. But it's not clear to me that they are treating these relationships any differently than millions of other sponsorship agreements in the world.
Kara Grouchier wrote:
Kara Fan wrote:
sounds like the truth to me
My behind! She is a big girl and made CHOICES. It's about CHOICE right?
She CHOSE to sign the contract and if you read the interview, when pregnancy came up, she didn't want to talk about it because she didn't want to give them the wrong impression. That makes her a shitty business person and when SHE CHOSE to get pregnant, she knew exactly what the consequences would be. Nike didn't make her run 120 miles a week while nursing, SHE CHOSE to do that. On the day she gave birth, Nike didn't call her up and say; hey Kara, go run 50 miles and lift weights. SHE CHOSE to do that, if in fact that happened because that sounds like major bullshit to me. If she actually did that, then she's a complete wackadoodle.
Blame Alberto & not Nike!