Book Review: Good for a Girl

Reading books and running are my two favorite hobbies. When you combine the two, I am in heaven. That's how I have felt with the wave of women's running books being published post-pandemic. I plan to write reviews of some of the newest women's running books to hit the market this year, starting with Lauren Fleshman's "Good for a Girl."

The subheading of the book is "A Woman Running in a Man's World," which accurately summarizes Fleshman's experience climbing the ranks of the elite running world, paving her way as a woman in a space she describes as 'not made for her.'

Fleshman is an American distance track and field athlete. She was the US Champion in the 5000 meters in 2006 and 2010 and competed in the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2003, 2005, and 2011. In 2011, she finished 7th, which was the highest ever finish by an American in the event at the time. 

Fleshman ran for Nike from 2003 until the completion of her contract in 2012, running with the Mammoth Lakes training group and later the Oregon Track Club Elite. After parting ways with Nike, Fleshman was the first professional athlete to sign with Oiselle, a woman-owned brand made for women. 

The book is part auto-biography, part manifesto on the world of women's running. It was so interesting to read about the new and emerging research on the psychology and physiology of young runners, and how boys and girls differ in almost all respects after puberty. 

I started running in middle school, and can relate to the love Fleshman originally felt for the freedom and strength that came from running distance as a young girl. Fleshman argues that girls and women are growing up in systems designed by men for men. The speed of girl's physical development, their relationship to food and gaining and losing weight, and the rampant injuries young women face while running consistently and competitively are all evidence of this.

It is startling to hear Fleshman's account of widespread eating disorders and unhealthy relationships with food in high school and college professional running. The fact that the vast majority of coaches of girls at these ages are men with little to no training on the physiological effects of weight fluctuation is not lost on Fleshman. 

I thoroughly enjoyed "Good for a Girl" by Lauren Fleshman. It is a relevant read for anyone with a young girl in their life. It is required read for anything in a position of authority over girls, including coaches, teachers, and parents. We can and should do better for our girls going forward, and Fleshman's book lays the groundwork for those important conversations.

Purchase "Good for a Girl" at any local bookstore or here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/good-for-a-girl-a-woman-running-in-a-man-s-world-lauren-fleshman/18409279?ean=9780593296783 (I'll always link Bookshop.org, an online bookseller who supports independent bookstores with all of their proceeds, because, ya know, #ShopLocal.)

It’s okay to not have good races

Image courtesy of Olivia McLain

Sometimes it’s our worst races that make us the best runners. 

Every runner wants to finish each race with the rush of running a new PB (personal best). If you are a runner, it is really one of the best feelings you can have! But most times, that’s just not realistic, and that’s okay. Even as a collegiate runner who trains every day just to go out and race, I only PR (personal record) a few times a year (running 15 or more races a year). In fact, I haven’t beat my best 5K time in 2 years and I’ve run the 5K probably 10+ times since then. The good news is that if you're not PRing every time you go out and race, you know there is room for improvement.

One thing I’ve realized is that racing and hitting a new PR is amazing, but it’s not the only thing to run for. Every day that you go out to run is a gift and shouldn’t be taken for granted. As my college days of running become fewer and fewer, I have been trying to appreciate every day I run, whether it’s a normal Monday run or a big race where I ended up way off of my goal. Each day you run has something valuable for you to take away. And each time you don’t hit that PR, it makes it even more sweet for the time to come when you do.

If you’ve been stuck running the same race times for months or even years, try implementing something new into your training plan. If you’re doing base mileage as the bulk of your training, try adding in a speed workout once a week. 400m repeats at race pace or even mile repeats at tempo pace are both great workouts to implement. You can even create a workout with a mix of distances in it, the goal is just to do a few miles of work and to get your heart rate up almost to where it would be on race day. If doing a workout seems like a lot to handle, start small! It’s beneficial for any runner to add 100m strides to the end of a normal run 2+ times a week. This helps with turnover, or getting your legs used to running fast, especially after getting a little tired from a run.

On the other hand, if you are constantly feeling tired, take a day off running and swap it with a bike ride for about the same amount of time that you would be running. Make sure to get your heart rate up to around the level it would be if you were running (normally at least 120-130). Listening to your body and taking time to rest when needed is essential in the recovery process of training and getting closer to that PR.