Mary Cain and Nike

[Lassie]

From today's New York Times.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/o...gtype=Homepage

[dupontred]

Heartbreaking

[ATK]

I never really followed Cain's career that much outside of occasionally skimming topics posted here, but this was tough read/watch. I hope she is in a good place now, and achieves whatever running goals she sets out for.

[Atticus]

From today's New York Times.

Talk about an endless landscape of red flags!
There are so many ways that could have all been avoided (and I hope the parents of other girl phenoms read that), but that's now spilt milk, so I also hope Mary, now 23, can pick up the pieces and enjoy the rest of her life, secure in the knowledge that she thrilled many of us - how many people can say that?

[Dave]

I continue to believe that young athletes should stay in the university system. That isn’t a perfect answer but this is unlikely to have happened had she spent a few more years growing up.

That said, who knows if she wouldn’t have had her career blown up some other way.

[tandfman]

I read the NY Times article earlier this morning, but now I've just looked at the 7-minute video that accompanies the article. Very powerful stuff!

[einnod23]

The 2014 WJ 3000 win was epic! Sad that a career and life was destroyed. Hope she can pick herself back up!

[Atticus]

I continue to believe that young athletes should stay in the university system. That isn’t a perfect answer but this is unlikely to have happened had she spent a few more years growing up.

You may be right, but I'm not sure this was because she was a 'pro'. Many collegiate women develop eating disorders because coaches, peers, or even they themselves cause them to feel 'fat' when they are anything but.

[Conor Dary]

Amazing the continuous stream of bad press since Salazar got the boot..it's just one horrible story after another......even if by some miracle he wins on appeal he is finished....

[Dave]

You may be right, but I'm not sure this was because she was a 'pro'. Many collegiate women develop eating disorders because coaches, peers, or even they themselves cause them to feel 'fat' when they are anything but.

There are so few opportunities in track that getting to the top is a very unforgiving process. I guess this sort of carnage is inevitable.

I’m not familiar enough with the actual numbers but I’m guessing it looks something like this in any given year in the US.

100,000 high school girls compete in distance races.
1,000 college girls compete in distance races.
10 women will make a living in the professional ranks.
1-2 might make a mark internationally.

Of the 990 who don’t go on to successful pro careers and the 8 or 9 who don’t make an international there is likely to be a lot of damage done to those who almost make it.

I’d be curious if other countries do a better job of nurturing top, rising talent.