Mary Cain: Healing After Coaching Abuse

Mary Cain, once a celebrated track prodigy, has detailed her experiences with abusive coaching in her memoir, "This is Not About Running." At 17, she joined Nike's Oregon Project under Alberto Salazar, enduring years of alleged emotional abuse, weight obsession, and isolation. Cain's memoir, written in the present tense, chronicles these "hellish" four years.

Following her departure from the project in 2016, Cain experienced significant physical and mental health struggles, including self-harm and a severe eating disorder. A later diagnosis of Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome (PAES) revealed a rare vascular condition stemming from overtraining.

After her public allegations in 2019, the Nike Oregon Project disbanded, and Salazar received a lifetime ban. Cain pursued a career in medicine, enrolling at Stanford University after successful surgery for PAES. She is now a second-year medical student, focusing on her recovery and future in healthcare.