Written By: Leda McDanial
For many of us who have experienced the “Runner’s high,” amazing running communities, the
thrill of training for and completing a race, or setting and surpassing personal bests or “PRs”
(Personal Records), the idea that running is enjoyable is not a tough idea to grasp. Despite the
rough parts of training, getting in shape, and physical and mental grit that it takes to commit to
running consistently there are numerous rewarding moments and benefits to embracing this
form of physical activity. We each have our own personal relationship with running, or our,
“running story,” if you will. Sometimes it is refreshing to hear from those at the top levels of
running competition that their experiences are much like our own; rife with not only success,
but with overcoming obstacles and the human spectrum of emotions that we all experience.
In Podcast Episode #33 of the More Than Miles Podcast, physical therapists Dr. Kate Mihevc
Edwards and Dr. Kacy Seynders interview two time Olympian and female running icon Kara
Goucher to talk about her journey and relationship with running. Most of us who love running
and follow the sport are at least familiar with her name and many of us know her for her
successes as a competitive runner including multiple track and field titles as a collegiate runner
at the University of Colorado, winning a silver medal at the world championships in the 10,000
meters race, and competing in two Olympic games. She has had success as a distance runner at
multiple distances from 5,000 meters all the way up to the marathon (26.2 miles) on the
international scene. However, what is most touching about Kara continues to be her humility
and her openness and vulnerability as she has traversed a variety of struggles, both personal
and professional. This ‘humanness’ from one of female distance running’s greats, makes her an
easy hero to root for, especially with the newest health challenge that she has faced, a
diagnosis of “Runner’s Dystonia,” that has left her, at times unable to walk and has definitely
taken a toll on her ability to run.
Kara’s early love of running was inspired by watching her grandfather’s passion for running. He
ran well into his 90s, and Kara had him as a close role model and example of what running
through a lifetime could look like. Kara began running at age six, as she saw the pure joy that it
brought to her grandfather. In the podcast interview, Kara describes that he ran because he
loved the movement of it and the freedom he felt while doing it.
As Kara entered high school and began participating in track and field and cross-country events,
she found that she took to the sport quickly and excelled in this early stage of distance running
and racing. Despite her high school success, Kara struggled early as a collegiate runner at the
University of Colorado, experiencing what she describes as a three-year string of injuries and, in
her words, “an inability to put together a good race during this period.” She describes certain
cultural pressures within the sport to attain a certain body weight and ‘look’ that was not
necessarily linked to health or performance. Though, in retrospect Kara says she knew she was
flirting with an unhealthy way of eating, the pressure and early success it afforded her pushed
her in this direction and she thinks contributed to her string of injuries during this period in her
career.
Ultimately, Kara climbed out of this slump and changed her approach to nutrition finding a
healthier, more sustainable way to fuel her body for the volume of training she was doing.
Subsequently, she went on to win three NCAA national titles towards the end of her collegiate
running career (two in track and field and one in cross country). Having recovered her health,
Kara continued to add to her running accolades, experiencing success on the world scene by
placing second in the track and field world championships in the 10,000 meters in 2007 and
competing in two Olympics (the Beijing games in 2008 and the London games in 2012). These
races are just a few of her podium placements as her racing career and successes have been
numerous and span across two decades.
In the podcast interview with Dr. Kate and Dr. Kacy, Kara also discusses some of what she has
experienced lately and the transitions it has necessitated for her in relation to the sport of
competitive distance running. Kara was diagnosed with “Runner’s Dystonia,” in 2021 and has
transitioned to a sideline role in the running scene. Kara touchingly describes some of the
emotional struggles that she has gone through being faced with giving up competitive running
and as she has reintroduced recreational running in a limited fashion, the joy that it has brought
her again. She talks about negotiating this new diagnosis and what it has meant for her
relationship with running saying, “I was like, ‘why am I crying? I’m not gonna die. I just can’t
run. Why am I crying?’” and says, “I’ve gone back and forth between feeling stupid that I’m sad,
but then being like ‘this is my thing’, ‘this is my refuge,’ ‘this is my happy place…’” Those of us
for whom running has been an equally important refuge can surely relate to this sentiment.
Kara also gracefully opens up about starting therapy to help support her mental and emotional
health during these trying times. Hearing Kara’s vulnerability and raw emotion as she talks with
Dr. Kate and Dr. Kacy on the podcast is truly heartfelt.
As part of her transition period, Kara recently began working for NBC as a commentator where
she can be found on the sidelines of races that used to see her as a competitor in the field, such
as this year’s Boston Marathon. Despite her running prowess and success on an international
level, Kara talks about her initial start with this new venture and her, “camera shy,” moments
and endearing wardrobe snafus! Throughout the interview, though Kara is a running celebrity
and hero to many, she becomes infinitely relatable to listeners as she talks about the
importance of family in her life and various treats that she looks forward to on a daily basis
including her love of “trashy TV,” iced coffee, and chocolate M & Ms!
Now, more than ever, Kara has been left with an immense gratitude for participating in this
movement of running just as she entered into it; inspired by her grandfather and exuberant at
love of feeling her body in motion! As Kara describes, “I feel we’ve lost the main message,
which is that it’s supposed to be enjoyable, and a long journey for those of us who love
running.”
We all have our running story and in this podcast episode we get to hear Kara Goucher’s
running story. Beyond all her successes and her diverse experiences with running in her 20-year
career, what shines through is Kara’s deep love of running. And, as most of us know, that is the
factor that keeps us lacing up our running shoes each day! Please check out Episode #33 of the
More Than Miles Podcast, to listen to the full interview with Kara Goucher. If you love running
as much as we do, we know you will absolutely love this episode!
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