Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Facebook Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest

Kara Goucher: Why I’m Fighting for Clean Sport

CoachesEducatorsParents

“It’s really depressing to think about, but there’s always going to be people who are taking shortcuts, and you can’t let that steal your joy.” – Kara Goucher

“Two and a half years ago at World Championships, one of our greatest American athletes – who’s still very competitive – told me that she was just running for fifth and hoping for a medal upgrade 10 years down the line. That is unacceptable. She needs to be able to have that moment, in the moment,” said Kara Goucher, two-time Olympic long-distance runner and World Championships silver medalist.

The sting of a lost moment is a feeling Goucher knows all too well, having been denied a silver medal podium moment at the 2007 World Championships. She stood on the bronze medal tier of the podium in Osaka, only to be awarded an upgraded medal in the 10,000m race 10 years later, after her competitor was finally disqualified for doping.

The ‘win-at-all-costs’ culture that now pervades fields and courts around the country is far from the positive youth sports environment that Goucher experienced growing up. In her Northern Minnesota hometown, Goucher didn’t hesitate to participate in a variety of sports and activities. She danced, played soccer, baseball, tennis, basketball, and even tried swimming and cross-country skiing.

Kara Goucher running in the Olympic trialsWhen it came to running, though, her innate talent and a shared interest with her grandfather made the sport an easy favorite.

“My grandpa was a life-long runner and he took me out for my first run – it was something we did a couple times a year. He would take me to a race here and there. It was our thing.

And when I was in junior high, I decided to join the cross-country team, and I loved it right away. I loved the comradery and the teammates, and the further we went, the better I seemed to be.”

That teamwork and dedication to growth are values that Goucher’s coaches fostered throughout her youth sport experience.

“During my senior year of high school, I wasn’t running particularly well. I was expected to win the state cross-country championship and I didn’t, but my team won. I remember being so happy that we had accomplished it together – that’s really what I think about when I look back at youth sports.

It’s about teammates, that experience, and the sisterhood. I think I was lucky because I had a great experience with being on a team and feeling those friendships early on.

It helped me realize that even though there were big goals that I wanted for myself, it is just a sport. At the end of the day, there’s so much more than just my world. I would have loved to have won that last state title, but it was good to realize that there was so much more to it than just my own success.”

As Goucher progressed through her high school and college athletic careers, she achieved plenty of individual success too. In 2000, she and her team both came in first at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Later that year, she also became the only collegiate woman to compete in the 5,000m final at the Olympic Trails, where she finished eighth overall.

Along with the excitement of competing on the international stage as she progressed, Goucher also faced a rude awakening about a darker side of sport.

“Growing up as a youth athlete, I had no clue that there was a different side of sports. I had never heard of steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. I watched the Olympics in awe like everyone else. I had no idea that there was another side to the sport.

But, around my sophomore year of college, I met one of my idols at a track meet and I started crying because I idolized him my whole childhood. Then my coach told me, ‘Oh, there’s actually rumors that he tested positive before one of his races at the Olympics.’ I was absolutely crestfallen by this news. I had never thought about that. Then, I started to learn more, but I will never forget that first time [I learned about doping in sport]. It was devastating.”

_____

While she didn’t know it at the time, Goucher would be directly impacted by this devasting, dark side of elite competition as she raced at World Championships in Osaka.

With the temperature in the upper 80s and the humidity hovering around 90 percent, Goucher went into the race thinking one thing: “Wow. This is an opportunity to do something.”

As the race played out, Goucher found herself sitting in fifth place with two laps to go. As another lap went by, Goucher recalled, “The top two were away from us, but it was myself, Jo Pavey, and Kim Smith, and I started thinking one of our lives is going to change forever. One of us is going to go home a medalist in this event that has been dominated by the East Africans. I just was having these thoughts like ‘You just have to just die trying.’

Kara Goucher winning raceWith 200 meters to go, if Jo Pavey had fought me off at all, I would have crumbled. But she felt me coming and faltered a little. I ran in and won the bronze and I couldn’t believe it. I was going crazy. I was pushing over the top two getting my American flag – it was crazy.”

Thinking back to that day – with what she knows now about her competitors – Goucher shared, “There were definitely red flags about one of the women, but we were drug tested immediately after the race. We were blood and urine tested and we were given our medals and life went on. I never thought about it again. Honestly, I just thought how lucky I was and how much it changed my life in such a positive way.”

After that event, she continued to race the only way she knew how: as a clean athlete. As time went on, she became more and more aware of the prevalence of doping in her sport, but never let that effect the way she raced or viewed sport.

“I know there are so many races I ran that were not clean on the track and in the marathon, but I still love the process. It made me realize it has to be a choice about yourself and seeing what you can find from yourself, and not being necessarily defined on medals or wins because you don’t have control over what anyone else is doing.”

Receiving a silver medal a decade after she truly earned it gave Goucher more insight into what really matters about that moment and what she can do to prevent more lost moments.

“In a weird way, I felt like I appreciated it more 10 years later than I did 10 years earlier when I was in the thick of it and it was always more and more and more. Now I was definitely done with the elite side of racing and I had this last taste. But it was also bittersweet because Jo never got to stand on a podium during her career.

I’m glad that it was acknowledged that we weren’t given what we deserved on that day. I feel very grateful that it was acknowledged, but 10 years later, it didn’t change anything for us.

We never got to have that moment. We never got the financial gain. It wasn’t on our resume when it mattered, and I don’t want that for anyone else.

It’s really taught me to care about the next generation. It makes me want to fight harder to make sure that this doesn’t happen anymore. If it does happen, we’re turning it over so much quicker so people can actually still be competing and able to say, ‘I’m a bronze medalist, I’m a silver medalist, or a gold medalist.’”

Kara Goucher receiving upgraded medalGoucher’s continued fight for what’s right has turned her into one of the outspoken advocates of clean sport. And as she looks at the next generation of athletes coming into the elite levels of sport, Goucher can’t help but think about her own youth sport experience.

“Part of it is the community that I grew up in. There were no shortcuts. We took what we were – if we weren’t the best, we weren’t the best, and we’re going to go back home and try a little harder. We are going to celebrate the people that were the best.

We learned it’s okay to not be the best, to find out you’re not the best, but it’s not okay to be the best by shortcuts.

I worry about the next generation. It makes me feel like I have to keep fighting to uphold the integrity of sport. I have the energy to do it now. I’m not trying to make an Olympic team anymore, and I feel like I owe it to them to fight for them.”

Related Content

Loading...
1 2 … 12

Join Us

Subscribe
Shop TrueSport
Host TrueSport

TrueSport logo without icon in white.

© 2025 TrueSport | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Sitemap

Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.