Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

"You Are Stronger Than You Think" — How An Olympian Runner Went Up Against One of the World's Biggest Brands | Kara Goucher

Jun 12, 2024

Kara Goucher, an Olympic runner, discusses her bravery in exposing doping and abuse at Nike. She talks about her challenges and the importance of integrity and courage in sports. The podcast explores her resilience, mental health in athletics, and the role of sports psychology in running. The conversation also touches on the normalization of coaching massages and navigating power dynamics in elite sports.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Journey of Resilience: Overcoming Struggles and Embracing Mental Health in Athletics

02:29 • 6min

The Importance of Sports Psychology in Running and Sponsor Mentions

08:57 • 4min

Importance of Mental Preparation in Sports and Experience with Nike Oregon Running Project

13:03 • 13min

The Normalization of Coaching Massages

26:13 • 7min

Navigating Power Dynamics and Personal Boundaries in Elite Sports

32:59 • 13min

Navigating Athlete Mindset and Finding Joy in the Sport

45:37 • 3min

Facing Struggles and Seeking Truth

48:48 • 20min

Embracing Success and Fulfillment Through Daily Achievements

01:08:53 • 7min

Gratitude, Support, and Community Engagement

01:16:03 • 2min

What does it mean to have power, courage and integrity?

We throw those words around a lot when talking about athletes or people we admire. Many times it’s justified – but how many truly possess these traits even when the chips are down? Today on the podcast is a human that embodies those three words fully.

Her name is Kara Goucher. You might recognize her as an Olympic runner, the third place finisher in the Boston and New York Marathons, and ranked as one of the fastest female distance runners in American history. That’s power.

And, there's something even more notable to recognize her for – in 2019 and 2023 Kara was instrumental in exposing doping and sexual abuse at the Nike Oregon Project. She put her career and reputation on the line to go up against one of the biggest corporations in the world. That’s courage. And integrity. Full stop.

Kara put it all in writing in her newest book: The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike's Elite Running Team. Today we celebrate her career in endurance running and dive into the pain and controversy she experienced, the aftermath, and why she is an emblem for those three words: power, courage, and integrity.

This is an emotional conversation, and we get into some pretty heavy topics -- but the light Kara represents is so much greater than the darkness she experienced. I hope you'll leave with the knowing that you too have the power to make a difference.

I’ve been looking forward to talking to Kara for a very long time, and I’m excited to share her brilliance with you.

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