The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike's Elite Running Team

This story brings to light the horrific experiences that plague women on all competitive playing fields. Kara is able to take you along on her journey, showing what it takes to compete at the highest levels and the consequences mentally and physically. A great read.

What a book. I read it over one weekend and could not put it down. Kara is a brave women taking on the almighty Nike and their system, and her account is brutally honest and moving. As a passionate runner myself, I am happy that she came forward exposing this doping scandal, as did Michael Phelps in swimming and others. What is scary is how little changes, however. It seems that aside from Salazar, nobody at Nike suffered any consequences.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.

Quick, engaging read--I made time for this book and finished it in two days, even though I was quite busy when it arrived. As a woman and recreational athlete, in addition to being a fan of Kara Goucher (check out her podcast with Des Linden, "Nobody Asked Us with Des and Kara"), I was excited to read the book and looking forward to hearing Kara's perspective on her own life and experiences.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.

I have long been a Kara fan, taking up running myself during the time she was at the Oregon Project and following her career/life over the past 13 years. I obviously knew on a very basic level of what was covered in the book. That said, it was an enthralling read…well-written with an unflinching honesty where most people gloss over uncomfortable truths. It definitely gives a lot of insight to the professional running world, especially for women, and the degree to which certain things transpired that Kara had to face. The horribly toxic environment of the Oregon Project has come full circle, with as satisfying of an ending as you can have when narcissists go unchecked.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.

I grew up watching Kara Goucher. Idolizing her. I never knew that at the top of her game that she was battling so many dragons, actively trying to break her spirit. What she had been through and survived to bear witness to, is, I think, her reason for being on earth. She, and many women like her, are change agents in the sports arena.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.

This book captivated my attention for all 38 chapters. I enjoyed reading about Kara’s life, good and bad parts of Nike, and her races and love for running! An amazing and genuine read!

The media could not be loaded.  The book "The Longest Race" by Kara Goucher is an autobiographical account of Kara Goucher's career as a professional long-distance runner, including her training strategies, competition experiences, and personal reflections. It's easy to appreciate the honesty and transparency that Goucher brings to her writing, discussing both the highs and lows of her journey through the sport.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

This book was heartfelt and honest when sharing difficult situations. It is women like Kara who are brave enough to make sports safe for others.

Gostei do livro por explicar os desafios e como iniciam os treinamentos de um atleta olímpico. Ele se torna constrangedor quando vemos a forma com que Alberto se comportava com ela. Revela o quanto difícil é para uma pessoa que sofre abusos se encorajar para denunciar o ato. Recomendo

Esta historia de supervivencia en un mundo que premia la trampa y el abusoe conmovió.

I am a male runner but I don’t follow running and before picking up the book didn’t know who Kara was, but as soon as I was a few pages deep I couldn’t put it down. Brutally honest which made it super engaging. Unfortunately what made the story so good for me to read must have made it really hard to live and perhaps even harder to put into words and then release to the world.It opened my eyes to aspects of the professional side of running I was not aware of. Especially things I had never thought of as a male. I had no idea a company like Nike would be complicit or at best willfully ignorant for some of what Kara was put through by them either directly or indirectly.

Nicht alles ist neu, aber das Buch ist spannend geschrieben und führt toll durch Karriere und Entwicklungen zB im Oregon Projekt.

If you want to know the facts of what's gone on, this is an incredible read.Engaging from a personal, running, abuse and shame point of view, it's a superb read and props to Kara Goucher for ensuring that this book is released to show the shameful behaviour of both athletes, coachs and more importantly the power of (corrupt) people in the sport.Seriously if you read one book this year, ensure you read this you will not be disappointed and when finished it leaves a disturbing taste in the mouth trust me, BUT ultimatley you give full suport to the ladies who came forward, who've been involved in this abuse and also the disgusting behaviour from Nike on ALL levels.