Mary Cain, the track prodigy who made it to world championships at 17 and joined Nike’s Oregon Project, is detailing the hellish years under coach Alberto Salazar in her new memoir, This is Not About Running. At 29, Cain reflects on her journey from a promising athlete to a survivor of emotional abuse.
A Promising Start
Cain set four national high school records as a teen and finished 10th in the 1500m at the world championships at age 17. Instead of heading to college, she was contacted by Alberto Salazar, who convinced her to go pro with Nike’s Oregon Project.
The Abuse
In her memoir, Cain describes four years of emotional abuse, including Salazar’s obsession with her weight, isolation from her parents, and ignoring signs of suicidal ideation and self-harm. Salazar has denied wrongdoing, and Nike settled a lawsuit with Cain in 2023.
She writes about a sports psychologist who told her to toughen up when she revealed cutting herself, and a vice-president of marketing who commented on her breasts and hair. Her body fat was measured repeatedly despite her panic, and teammates were unsupportive during her depressive episodes.
Leaving and Healing
Cain left the Oregon Project in 2016, suicidal and with a severe eating disorder. She struggled with injuries and a mysterious numbness in her leg. In 2019, the US Anti-Doping Agency banned Salazar for doping violations, prompting Cain to speak out in a New York Times op-ed.
She eventually received a diagnosis of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome and underwent surgery at Stanford. Now a second-year medical student, Cain focuses on healing and rewiring her body.
A New Perspective
Cain emphasizes that Salazar’s ban does not solve systemic abuse in running. She hopes her story encourages reflection and change. “I feel very deeply that if you were unkind to a child, you should work on that,” she says.
Undoing self-hatred has been a long process. Cain now enjoys simple pleasures like running without pain and socializing with friends. “I’m kind of just happy to be here,” she laughs.
