The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike's Elite Running Team
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 1,567 ratings
Price: 16.4
Last update: 11-25-2024
About this item
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
In “one of the most important athlete memoirs of its generation” (Kate Fagan, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Olympian Kara Goucher reveals her experience of living through and speaking out about one of the biggest scandals in running.
Kara Goucher grew up with Olympic dreams. She excelled at running from a young age and was offered a Nike sponsorship deal when she graduated from college. Then in 2004, she was invited to join a secretive, lavishly funded new team, dubbed the Nike Oregon Project. Coached by distance running legend Alberto Salazar, it seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime.
Kara was soon winning a World Championship medal, going to the Olympics, and standing on the podium at the New York and Boston marathons, just like her coach had done. But behind the scenes, Salazar was hiding dark secrets. He pushed the limits of anti-doping rules and created what Kara experienced as a culture of abuse, the extent of which she reveals in her book for the first time. Meanwhile, Nike stood by Alberto for years and proved itself capable of shockingly misogynistic corporate practices.
The Longest Race is an unforgettable story that is “as interesting as it is important” (Molly Huddle, two-time Olympian) and also a crucial call to action. Kara became a crusader for female athletes and a key witness helping to get Salazar banned from coaching at the Olympic level. The Longest Race will leave you “motivated, empowered, and ready to take on the world” (Allyson Felix, Olympic gold medalist) as it reveals how Kara broke through the fear of losing everything, bucked powerful forces to take control of her life and career, and reclaimed her love of running.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Top reviews from the United States
It is testament to Kara and Adam’s characters and the importance of those whom you surround yourself. Kudos to Kara and everyone who support her, Adam, and Colt in returning to herself and sharing the truth.
One additional note - I have tried to get back to reading since graduate school (if you know you know). I have a stack of TBR that is seriously two feet high. I read this in a day! Thank you Kara - reconnecting to your love of running helped me to rediscover my love of reading.
However, as simply a sports nerd, I have to admit that there is nothing new here. Since the fall of Lance Armstrong, various sources have provided the public with inside stories of the toxic environment and cultures existing within professional sports, particularly as that relates to women. Most of the events that Kara describes in this book were detailed in "Win at All Costs: Inside Nike Running and Its Culture of Deception" by Matt Hart, and in my opinion, Kara's version didn't really offer much beyond basic feminine insights you'd expect any woman facing these moments to have. There is one fairly new revelation that the book offers, but to me, it seemed as though the authors understood something new needed to be included to make the book relevant, and Kara understands relevance. They played that out until the end in a traditional fashion by moving away from it but always reminding readers it happened in tiny snippets, until there was finally a conclusion at the end.
It was a good read, and I am happy I read the book. But, to be honest, I wish I'd put myself on the waiting list for it at the library instead of purchasing it.
This book, and running in general, is a metaphor for life. You work hard, do the right thing, and hopefully you prevail. I know Kara came out on top. This is a story about a modern day hero. Thank you for sharing your career and story with us, Kara.
I also think Kara is an amazing NBC Olympics commentator. Super insightful and a joy to listen to. I wish her and her family all the very best.
This book is engaging and includes inspiring storytelling, as well as its practical insights on training and mental preparation. I found the book to be relatable, even though I am not a professional runner.
Overall, "The Longest Race" is a recommended read for people interested in running, sports biographies, or personal development. The book offers an authentic and insightful look into the world of professional running, while still being accessible and relatable to a wide range of readers.
Total pages: 263
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2023
This book is engaging and includes inspiring storytelling, as well as its practical insights on training and mental preparation. I found the book to be relatable, even though I am not a professional runner.
Overall, "The Longest Race" is a recommended read for people interested in running, sports biographies, or personal development. The book offers an authentic and insightful look into the world of professional running, while still being accessible and relatable to a wide range of readers.
Total pages: 263