• Lauren Fleshman and Molly Huddle are professional women runners. Lauren is the author of Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World and Molly co-wrote How She Did It with Sara Slattery.
• They discussed the challenges of adapting to body changes during puberty and postpartum, and how these changes can be difficult to navigate in male-dominated spaces.
• They discussed how the current sports system is not designed to accommodate the changes that girls and women go through, and how this can lead to a drop-off in participation.
• They discussed how providing resources such as sports bras and breast education can help girls and women adjust to their changing bodies and continue to participate in sports.
• They discussed how the expectations of fitting into a male mold can be damaging, and how it is important to create a culture that is more inclusive and accommodating of women’s needs.
• Molly discussed her experience with maternity clauses in her contracts, and how advocacy from Alysia Montaño and Allyson Felix changed the landscape for female athletes.
• Lauren discussed the need for a more equal approach to leave and child-rearing, and how sport can be a leader in social movements.
• Both discussed the idea of a slow return to work after having a baby, and how it can be frustrating but also beneficial.
• They also discussed the need for coach education on female physiology, and for parents to be informed and supportive of their daughters’ changing bodies.
• They discussed the importance of having a broad definition of success that includes more than just performance metrics.
Published January 9, 2023. Visit ParentData to read Emily Oster’s original post.