Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World

Lauren Fleshman

Jan 2023 · Kuthengiswe ngu-Penguin

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* A New York Times Bestseller
* Winner of the William Hill Sports Book Of The Year Award
* A Financial Times Best Sports Book of 2023

Fueled by her years as an elite runner and advocate for women in sports, Lauren Fleshman offers her inspiring personal story and a rallying cry for reform of a sports landscape that is failing young female athletes

“Women’s sports have needed a manifesto for a very long time, and with Lauren Fleshman’s Good for a Girl we finally have one.” —Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers and David and Goliath

One of the most decorated collegiate athletes of all time and a national champion as a pro, Lauren Fleshman has grown up in the world of running. But every step of the way, she has seen how our sports systems—originally designed for men and boys—fail women and girls. Girls drop out of sports at alarming rates once they hit puberty, and female collegiate athletes routinely fall victim to injury, eating disorders, or mental health struggles as they try to force their way past a natural dip in performance for women of their age.

Written with heart and verve, Good for a Girl is Fleshman’s story of falling in love with running, being pushed to her limits and succumbing to injuries, and fighting for a better way for female athletes. Drawing on not only her own story but also emerging research on the physiology and psychology of young athletes of any gender, Fleshman gives voice to the often-silent experience of the female athlete and argues that the time has come to rebuild competitive sports with women at their center.

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Lauren Fleshman is one of the most decorated American distance runners of all time, having won five NCAA championships at Stanford University and two national championships as a professional. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and Runner’s World. She is a mother of two; the brand strategy advisor for Oiselle, a fitness apparel company for women; and the cofounder of Picky Bars, a natural food company. She lives in Bend, Oregon.