The Fastest Girl in America: Inside Mary Cain’s “This Is Not About Running” (Part 1)

When The New York Times featured Mary Cain’s Opinion piece, "I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike," in 2019, the running world, including elite athletes, was shocked. Behind her record-breaking success was a story of pressure, abuse, and survival. In Part 1 of this special two-part series for Set the Pace, Rob sits down with Mary to discuss her powerful memoir, “This Is Not About Running,” and her experiences as a young professional athlete with the Nike Oregon Project and Coach Alberto Salazar. Mary shares how harmful coaching practices, body shaming, and a culture that prioritized performance over well-being affected her physical and mental health, ultimately leading her to speak out and advocate for change. The conversation explores the lasting impact of those experiences, the importance of recognizing RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), and why creating healthier environments for athletes matters most.

Content note: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts that some listeners may find difficult.

You can find Episode 1 of HSS's 4 part series on RED-S HERE - youtube.com/watch

and hear our interview with Josh Kerr HERE! - podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/olympian-josh-kerr-heads-to-nyc-to-defend-his-title/id1703616687

Learn more about New York Road Runners: nyrr.org
Become an NYRR Member: nyrr.org/membership

0:00 Cold Open
0:18 Welcome + Summer Running Update
5:47 Josh Kerr Breaks the Mile Record
8:48 USATF Outdoor Nationals Comes to NYC
10:15 Introducing Our Two-Part Mary Cain Series
13:24 Content Warning
14:50 Meet Mary Cain
16:19 Signing with Nike at 17
18:14 "Lean and Mean": Alberto Salazar's Coded Language
23:33 What Mary Sees Now in Old Photos
26:31 Emotional Breakdowns and Self-Gaslighting
28:31 Silent Bystanders: Family, Teammates, Doctors
31:31 Self-Harm and Internalized Cruelty
34:13 The Bathroom Scene and the Navy SEALs Camp
36:45 Suicidal Ideation and What Got Her Through
38:43 Leaving Nike, Living With the Damage
41:08 Female Athlete Triad vs. REDs
49:13 What Mary Is Bringing to Medical School
50:59 A Message to Young Female Runners Today
54:24 The 2019 New York Times Video
56:45 Virtue Signaling and Who to Say Yes To
1:01:14 Founding Atalanta NYC
1:05:37 Reception to the Memoir
1:09:53 Closing + Coming in Part 2