Lauren Fleshman's memoir, "Good for a Girl," offers a captivating and eye-opening look into the world of women's sports, particularly in the realm of professional running. Through her personal experiences and observations, Fleshman sheds light on the unique challenges faced by female athletes and the systemic issues that persist in the sports industry.
Introduction
In a world where women are breaking barriers and achieving firsts in various fields, the sports industry remains a complex and often challenging environment for female athletes. Lauren Fleshman's journey from a young, ambitious runner to a professional athlete and advocate for women in sports provides a compelling narrative that exposes the hurdles women face in pursuing their athletic dreams.
The Early Years: Discovering the Athlete Within
Lauren's story begins with her childhood, where she grew up believing that boys and girls were essentially the same, with only minor physical differences. This belief fueled her competitive spirit, driving her to outperform her male peers in various activities, from tetherball to running.
Inspired by trailblazing women like Sandra Day O'Connor and Joan Benoit, Lauren was determined to show the world what she was capable of. Her natural athletic abilities shone through in middle school, where she consistently outran her classmates during PE.
The Puberty Puzzle: When Biology Throws a Curveball
Lauren's confidence in her athletic prowess faced its first major challenge during a PE class when a boy unexpectedly surpassed her race time. This moment served as a stark reminder that boys and girls aren't the same after all, especially when puberty enters the picture.
The onset of puberty marks a significant turning point for many young female athletes. Physical changes can affect movement and performance, sometimes even discouraging girls from participating in sports altogether. A 2016 study revealed that a staggering 76 percent of British schoolgirls felt self-conscious about their breasts during sports or exercise, with nearly half reporting that it directly impacted their level of activity.
For Lauren, being a late bloomer turned out to be an advantage. Her delayed physical development allowed her to continue pursuing her athletic dreams without the immediate concerns that many of her peers faced. This twist of fate enabled her to excel in high school track, making it to the Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals twice and winning the California Cross Country State Championships.
College Years: Triumphs and Tribulations
Lauren's impressive high school performance caught the attention of numerous colleges, but she ultimately chose Stanford University. Drawn by the energy of the female coach and the challenge of proving herself to Vin Lananna, the university's cross-country and track and field director, Lauren embarked on her collegiate athletic journey.
Her freshman year at Stanford was nothing short of spectacular. Lauren placed fifth in her first NCAA championships, became an All-American in multiple events, and even qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 5,000-meter run. However, her sophomore year brought unexpected challenges as her body began to change, affecting her performance on the track.
This performance dip wasn't unique to Lauren; her entire team struggled to maintain their previous level of success. While their male counterparts celebrated victories, the women's team fell short of expectations, much to the disappointment of their coach, Vin.
What Lauren and her teammates didn't realize at the time was that this performance decline was a natural part of female physiology. While men's testosterone levels peak between ages 18 and 22, making it an ideal time for athletic pursuits, women's bodies are preparing for potential pregnancy, leading to a natural dip in performance as their bodies adjust to these changes.
Unfortunately, this biological reality was not well understood by many coaches, including Vin. Instead of receiving appropriate support and understanding, the women athletes faced shame and pressure to do better. Some coaches resorted to extreme measures, imposing highly restrictive diets and closely monitoring athletes' weight, often through invasive methods like squeezing their tummies and inner thighs to check for unwanted fat.
These misguided approaches led to a host of problems, including disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, declining bone health, and even organ damage. Lauren's experience highlights the urgent need for systemic change in the sports world, including better education for coaches on female physiology and the implementation of policies to address eating disorders, similar to those in place for concussions.
The Professional Arena: Chasing Dreams and Facing Reality
Despite the challenges she faced in college, Lauren finished her collegiate career with numerous victories, making her an attractive prospect in the professional running world. However, she quickly learned that the path to becoming a pro runner was far from straightforward.
Unlike team sports such as football or basketball, where clubs recruit and pay players directly, professional track and field athletes must secure sponsorship deals with major sports brands to make a living. After some initial setbacks, Lauren landed a deal with Nike for $60,000 per year, marking the beginning of her professional career.
With her sights set on the 2004 Olympics, Lauren threw herself into an intense training regimen. She returned to Stanford as a graduate student to train with her former teammates and enlisted Vin as her coach, despite his recent move to Oberlin, Ohio.
Lauren's dedication to her training was admirable, but it came at a cost. In her pursuit of the ideal "race weight," she adhered to a strict calorie count and inadvertently lost a significant amount of weight while training in Ohio. This dramatic weight loss, combined with her perfectionist tendencies, ultimately led to a foot injury that derailed her Olympic dreams.
This setback taught Lauren a valuable lesson about the dangers of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), a condition caused by not consuming enough calories to meet the body's energy demands. RED-S can have severe consequences, including decreased bone strength, compromised immunity, menstrual dysfunction, and even heart problems.
Lauren's experience underscores the importance of educating coaches about RED-S and its consequences, as well as the need to shift focus away from achieving and maintaining a specific race weight. These changes are crucial for fostering a sustainable and healthy coach-athlete relationship.
The Objectification of Women in Sports: A Personal Battle
As Lauren's professional career gained momentum, she found herself grappling with the pervasive objectification of women in sports. Her frustration peaked when she discovered that Nike's newly released women's activewear catalog featured no actual female athletes, instead relying on models who clearly didn't participate in sports.
Determined to make a change, Lauren took a bold step and emailed Nike CEO Mark Parker, expressing her concerns. To her surprise and delight, Parker listened to her suggestions and invited her, along with other female athletes, to participate in a photo shoot for the next catalog. Seeing these photos displayed in Nike store windows filled Lauren with pride, knowing she had successfully conveyed her message that athletic women are beautiful too.
However, Lauren's battle against objectification was far from over. When Nike asked her to promote their first woman-specific running shoe by posing naked, she found herself at a crossroads. Unwilling to perpetuate the idea that success as a female athlete required removing one's clothes, Lauren proposed an alternative campaign. The resulting "Objectify Me" ad not only promoted the shoe but also empowered women, becoming widely recognized for its powerful message.
Finding Her Voice: From Athlete to Advocate
Despite her successes on the track and in challenging industry norms, Lauren's Olympic dreams remained elusive. Injuries continued to plague her career, forcing her to miss the 2008 Olympic Trials and undergo surgery that sidelined her for a year.
During this period of inactivity, Lauren discovered a new passion: writing. She created her website, "asklaurenfleshman.com," which became a platform for sharing her experiences and answering fans' questions. This outlet allowed her to address the lack of media coverage for female athletes and share valuable firsthand knowledge with aspiring runners, particularly about the dangers of eating disorders and the importance of maintaining overall health.
Lauren's website became more than just a personal project; it evolved into a powerful tool for change within the broader running community. By sharing her experiences and insights, she was able to reach and impact a wider audience beyond the professional running circuit.
A New Chapter: Championing Women's Rights in Sports
Upon her return to competitive running under new coach Mark Rowland, Lauren experienced a resurgence in her career. She won the Nationals and set an American record with her seventh-place finish at the World Championships in South Korea.
However, her comeback was short-lived, as another injury struck just months before the 2012 Olympic Trials. Despite knowing she wasn't in top form, Lauren decided to participate in what she believed would be her last Trials. Although she finished last, the warm reception she received at the finish line proved to be a turning point in her career.
It was at this event that Lauren met Sarah Lesko of Oiselle, a Seattle-based women's apparel brand committed to changing the female sports industry for the better. Recognizing a shared vision, Lauren soon signed a contract with Oiselle, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her career as an advocate for female athletes' rights.
Working with Oiselle provided Lauren with numerous opportunities to champion women in sports. She continued writing on her blog and other outlets, joined forces with Oiselle's leadership in their efforts against athlete exploitation, and even created Littlewing Athletics, a team of women runners coached by Lauren herself.
Through Littlewing, Lauren implemented a coaching style that prioritized women's health over medals, creating a revolutionary approach she hoped would inspire other teams. While not perfect, this new model represented a significant step forward in addressing the unique needs of female athletes.
The Road Ahead: A Call for Collective Action
Lauren Fleshman's journey from a young, ambitious runner to a professional athlete and advocate for women in sports illustrates the complex challenges faced by female athletes. Her experiences highlight the urgent need for systemic changes in the sports industry to better support and protect women's physical and mental health.
The responsibility for change doesn't rest solely on the shoulders of coaches or individual athletes. It requires a collective effort from the entire sports community to implement better policies, guidelines, and training programs. By sharing her story, Lauren hopes to inspire others to join the fight for a more equitable and supportive environment for female athletes.
Some key areas that require attention include:
Education: Coaches, trainers, and sports administrators need comprehensive education on female physiology, including the impact of puberty and hormonal changes on athletic performance.
Nutrition and body image: There must be a shift away from the focus on achieving a specific "race weight" towards promoting overall health and well-being. This includes addressing and preventing disordered eating and RED-S.
Media representation: Increased coverage and fair representation of female athletes in sports media are crucial for inspiring the next generation and challenging societal norms.
Uniforms and equipment: The development of sports gear and uniforms that prioritize performance and comfort over aesthetics is essential for allowing female athletes to focus on their sport without unnecessary distractions or discomfort.
Mental health support: Recognizing and addressing the unique mental health challenges faced by female athletes, including body image issues and the pressure to conform to societal expectations.
Equal opportunities: Ensuring that female athletes have access to the same resources, funding, and career opportunities as their male counterparts.
Pregnancy and motherhood: Developing policies and support systems that allow female athletes to continue their careers through pregnancy and motherhood without fear of losing sponsorships or opportunities.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Change
Lauren Fleshman's memoir, "Good for a Girl," serves as both a personal account of her journey through the world of professional running and a call to action for the sports industry. By sharing her triumphs, setbacks, and the systemic issues she encountered, Lauren provides valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by female athletes.
Her story is not just about personal achievement but about paving the way for future generations of women in sports. From challenging beauty standards in sports marketing to implementing health-focused coaching methods, Lauren has consistently pushed for positive change in the industry.
The book reminds us that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to create a truly equitable and supportive environment for female athletes. It encourages readers to question existing norms, advocate for change, and support initiatives that prioritize the health and well-being of women in sports.
As we reflect on Lauren's journey, we are reminded that change often begins with one person's willingness to speak up and take action. Her story inspires us to continue the fight for equality and better conditions for all athletes, regardless of gender.
"Good for a Girl" is more than just a memoir; it's a roadmap for creating a better future in sports. It challenges us to reimagine what success looks like in athletics and to create systems that support and celebrate the unique strengths and needs of female athletes. Through Lauren's experiences and insights, we gain a deeper understanding of the work that lies ahead and the potential for positive change in the world of sports.