Diagnosed With Dystonia, Olympian Kara Goucher Shares Her Tough Time With Aging

Kara Goucher has been one of the most influential figures in distance running. In a career spanning over decades, the athlete has achieved several significant milestones over the years. The 45-year-old track and field sensation holds the titles of a silver medalist in world championships, a two-time NCAA champion, and numerous others. However, her athletic endeavors took a back seat when the runner began when she was diagnosed with dystonia in 2022.

Fast forward to 2024, and the two-time Olympian sat down for an interview recently where she talked extensively about her career and also shared her thoughts on challenges that she has encountered with aging and how she still has that hunger within her.

Kara Goucher offers insights into her mind

On Thursday, Goucher appeared on Rich Roll’s podcast on YouTube, where the two discussed several aspects of her career. When asked about aging and how it affects an athlete who is not able to do what they used to when they were still young, she replies, “It’s so hard. I was so frustrated. I just wanted this one last race, and I woke up on July 9th, 2018 and I was like, I’m a master. I’m not supposed to do what the 24-year-old women are doing, and it was so weird since I feared turning 40.” 

She also added that she convinced herself that it is perfectly fine to age and that it is alright to prepare yourself as per the new goals. Opening up about her marathon future, she said that she’s unsure whether or not she’ll be able to run a marathon, but she is hopeful to run in a 10-mile competition. Kara Goucher also wants to manage her condition of dystonia in a better way so as to achieve the aforementioned goals. Furthermore, the World (Continental) Cup bronze medalist also shared her views on women marathon runners in the United States.

What she has to say about the current roster

When Roll asked her about what she thinks about the current state of women marathoners, she said, “We have such a good group right now; we’re not necessarily seeing those podium finishes, but we’re so close.” She also makes a mention of Molly Seidel, who won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and how it has been impressive for all the women as a whole.

Goucher also expressed optimism about the potential impact of the current group of women athletes in future competitions. Giving an example of college athletes, she said that they are inspiring talents and that she wasn’t that sure about running a marathon when she used to be in college. With all that being said, Kara Goucher herself has blazed the trail for others, and her comments on aging can inspire many athletes out there.

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