Thank you netgalley for an e-ARC of Lauren Fleshman's "Good for a Girl".

Lauren Fleshman is not just an incredible athlete, she is also a very educated woman and it shows in this book which is well written and interesting. Ms. Fleshman does not proclaim herself to be anything more than an athlete but she understands the medical and mental needs of athletes since she is one. I really enjoyed that she wrote this book from the perspective of an athlete and what needs to change but does not attempt to portray herself as a medical professional, psychologist or any other profession. Her words are impactful and her stories really tell the story of what is happening (and has happened) in women's athletics without throwing anyone under the bus. She simply tells the true story and shares her feelings leading up to her retirement as an athlete. I also admire that she is not shy about discussing the difference between the treatment of women athletes vs men's athletes. As an example. she discusses the question that I frequently have when it comes to the uniforms that women are required to wear on the field and the underlying thought process of why women are required to wear tiny outfits to compete in the same sport as men.
This book is a must read for all young women regardless of their interest in athletics because it demonstrates how women are treated and that we need to take action to make a change. However, this book should probably be required reading for all high school sports teams and coaches.

#GoodforaGirl #NetGalley #LaurenFleshman

I’ll be honest that I didn’t know what I was about to read. I just knew Lauren wrote it so I had to read it.

This blew me away. While this will no doubt resonate with any woman who has ever participated in sport, this is a must read for ANYONE. Lauren’s desire to change the way women in sport are seen and developed is tangible in her words. She uses her own experiences and well researched data to shed light on some of the most important aspects of female athletes and it’s done in such an eye opening way. Her writing is down to earth, and the information in it is written in a way that is easy to understand. The data flows in her writing as easily and understandable as the first person accounts do.

Dare I say- this book should be added to curriculum across the country as required reading. It’s engaging and honest.

Lauren Fleshman is one of the most decorated US distance runners of all time, a championship collegiate and professional runner in the early 2000s. Good for A Girl is her memoir, sharing her successes, but also her challenges with disordered eating, growing up in a male dominated sport, and being a Nike athlete. Fleshman shares her thoughts on the treatment of female athletes and has become a fierce advocate for women runners. Fleshman is also an accomplished writer and entrepreneur with the development of Picky Bars, energy bars she developed in her kitchen. Her story is essential reading for all runners, male and female and her competitive spirit shines through her words. I can't believe we are still telling these stories. What a great read!

As a one-time collegiate trackster, now turned mental health professional, I'm going to try to get this book into every female athlete, and coach's hand. It was the wild west 20 years ago when I was competing, surrounded by disordered eating, injuries, negative body talk, with little education besides putting our own heads together to try to figure out what to eat, our menstrual cycles, and competing in skimpy gear. I know the running world has improved in terms of awareness around these issues, but much more needs to be done. That's why I am so glad that Lauren Fleshman wrote this book to share her own experience of running in this world and the need to reform a sports landscape that is failing young female athletes.

Besides the great education, this is a just a well written book on running. I was flipping the pages as Lauren described her races, her world, her family and the love for this sport.

Keep writing Lauren.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Press and Lauren Fleshman for this ARC!

This is a really powerful book. The joint story of Fleshman’s growth as a runner from a tween girl to pro runner, and how even in the Title IX era, college sports failed women. But it goes beyond that to show that it wasn’t the coach’s faults. DeLong in high school, Vin Lananna in college and as a pro were used to training men. Women aren’t men.

While men aren’t immune from eating disorders, the female triad and RED-S are significant issues that need to be accounted for with women. If you don’t let the natural plateau happen, how do you grow as a runner ? Too many coaches didn’t and still don’t understand this and I hope Fleshman’s book is part of that change.

Shefontaine. A goal that fleshman was curious about as she faced a true rival in Shalane Flanagan. Being forced to face the prospects of having Kara Goucher as an Oiselle teammate after their rivalry stemming from the 2008 Olympic trials in the 5K. The author faced a lot of hurdles in her journey as a runner but I believe they’re for the better of the running community as she teaches another generation of runners from the mistakes she faced.

While Fleshman was a professional runner, this is a must read for every runner: male or female. Some of the elements have attained broader recognition now after the sanctions on Salazar and the Mary Cain op Ed, but that doesn’t make any of it less heart wrenching.

As a runner, this story was amazing to read. It was powerful and raw and is a must read for any female athlete.

This is a must-read book for every parent of a daughter and every coach from pee wee to pro.
Both a compelling memoir (that I read during every free moment) and a call for action. Runners will certainly connect with this book but so will any woman or ally who believes in empowerment, agency and speaking your truth. Loved this book. Pre-order at your favorite book seller. Publishes Jan 2023.

I have recently taken a liking to non-fiction reads and this one really taught me a lot. I didn’t realize how interesting this topic was until I finished reading and had to sit with what I had just learned. I definitely would read more from this author.