The Buzz Molly Seidel on Pressure, Injury, and Why She's Moving to Trail and Ultra Running
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Nov 18, 2025 Molly Seidel, Olympic marathon bronze medalist and elite distance runner, discusses her journey from the road to trails after overcoming injury. She candidly shares the pressure of dropping out of the NYC Marathon, critiques the culture of pain in endurance sports, and reflects on her identity outside of running. Molly dives into the technical challenges of trail running, her goals for the Black Canyon race, and the importance of integrity in sports amid doping concerns. With honesty and humor, she reveals her exciting new chapter in ultra running.
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Choosing To DNF To Protect A Career
- Molly Seidel dropped out of the 2024 New York City Marathon at mile 18 to protect a rebuilding kneecap after a fracture.
- She treated the race as an information-gathering step toward trail focus and felt ready to resume training quickly.
Good Pain Versus Bad Pain
- Molly learned the sport idolizes pain but found pushing through injuries caused long-term harm.
- She emphasizes separating 'good pain' from 'bad pain' as a core skill for performance and longevity.
Running With Broken Ribs And The Aftermath
- Molly ran New York with broken ribs in 2021 and later called it one of the dumbest things she's done.
- That decision triggered years of recovery and a trauma-like response to hard workouts.