Former professional runner Mary Cain lays bare her tumultuous experience as a teenage running phenom in her debut memoir, This Is Not About Running. Through a brutal, no-frills structure with short, journal-esque chapters, Cain effectively conveys how hard it is to recognize abuse as it happens, especially as a teenager or young adult. Cain discovered her talent for and love of running in middle school, paired with a relentless work ethic. Her growing list of accomplishments spurred jealous bullying from other athletes and their parents, which affected her ability to find a consistent, supportive coach.
As a teenager, Cain landed at Nike's Oregon Project, which focused on sourcing and training the best runners in the U.S. She came under the tutelage of prominent coach Alberto Salazar and hoped she had finally found a safe, supportive space. Instead, she tumbled into an environment where elite athletes were pushed to their physical limits, injuries were disregarded, extreme weight loss was demanded, and emotional manipulation occurred daily. After Cain left professional competition, allegations about Salazar's abuse surfaced and were investigated. Cain spoke out publicly in a way that ultimately helped dismantle the Oregon Project, and Salazar eventually was banned from the sport permanently.
This Is Not About Running bravely censures the culture and systems that demand so much from young athletes while ignoring abuse in the pursuit of money and success. Cain unflinchingly reclaims her story from this culture, which spoke on her behalf for too long, and shares the beginning of her healing journey while adamantly calling for change in the sport she loves. --Kristen Coates, editor and freelance reviewer