Molly Seidel (born July 12, 1994) is an American long distance runner. Seidel represented the United States at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country in 2012, 2013, and 2018. In her first-ever

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

, Seidel placed second at the 2020 U.S. Marathon Olympic Trials. Later, she went on to win the

bronze medal A bronze medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of bronze awarded to the third-place finisher of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The outright winner receives ...

in her third career marathon at the

2020 Summer Olympics The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. At the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

, Seidel was a 4-time

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

champion, 6-time NCAA All-American, 6-time

Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...

champion and 2016 female

ACC Athlete of the Year The Atlantic Coast Conference Athlete of the Year award is given to the male and female athlete who show extraordinary talent throughout the entire season. The award is decided by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Anthony J ...

Early life and education

Seidel grew up in Hartland, Wisconsin, and attended University Lake School. Molly won Gatorade National Female Cross Country Runner of the Year. She also was named Gatorade Wisconsin Female Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2011. Seidel won the 2011 national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, breaking the tape in 17:22. Seidel won Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association cross country, 1600m, and 3200m titles at the state meet all four years totaling 12 titles. Seidel earned New Balance Indoor Nationals mile and two-mile All-American honors in 2011. Seidel was invited to the Bupa Great Edinburgh International Challenge in Scotland where she placed third (15:16) in the 4K and was the first USA high school finisher.

NCAA

Seidel attended the

and was the 2015

Division 1 national cross-country champion and the 2016

Division I national indoor track and field 3000 meters and 5000 meters champion. Seidel won 10,000 meters title at 2015 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Seidel was a six time

champion. She won the Honda Sports Award as the nation's top female cross country runner in 2016. ''NOTE: Notre Dame was in the

Big East The Big East Conference (stylized as BIG EAST) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference that competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Division I, Division I in 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. H ...

in 2012–13 but moved to the

starting in 2013–14.''

Professional

Seidel was invited to the 2012 Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country in Scotland where she placed third (15:16) in the 4 km and was the first USA high school finisher. Seidel placed fourteenth in 20:13 in 2016 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships. She ran the 2017 USATF Road 5k Championships Abbott Dash to the Finishline 5k in 15:35, her professional debut road race representing Saucony. Seidel qualified to represent Team USA at the 2018 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country in Scotland. Seidel finished third in the 6 km event in a time of 21:04, helping Team USA to an overall bronze. Seidel continued the 2018 season with a 2nd place at the 2018 USA Cross Country Championships. She qualified for Team USA at 2018 NACAC Cross Country Championships in La Libertad, El Salvador on February 17, 2018.2018 USATF Cross Country Championships

USA Track and Field USA Track & Field (USATF) is a United States national Sport governing body, governing body for the sports of track and field, cross country running, road running, and racewalking (known as the sport of athletics outside the US). The USATF was kn ...

. February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018. In

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, at the U.S. Woman's Olympic Trials Marathon on February 29, 2020, Seidel broke from the pack along with Aliphine Tuliamuk. Over the rolling hills of the course, the two pushed each other and took a large lead over third place Sally Kipyego. Seidel finished eight seconds behind Tuliamuk for a second place in 2:27:31. She earned a spot on the US Olympic Team and won $65,000. On October 4, 2020, Seidel ran the

London Marathon The London Marathon (also known as the TCS London Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon held in London, England. Founded by athletes Chris Brasher and John Disley in 1981, it is typically held in April, although it moved to Oct ...

and finished 6th overall. She was the second American woman, finishing with a personal best time of 2:25:13. With the Olympic postponement, Seidel broke her personal mark in the half marathon at Hampton, Georgia, running a 1:08:28 on February 28, 2021, in the Publix Atlanta Half Marathon held on the premises of the EchoPark Automotive Speedway, as the event was moved to Henry County because of Fulton County restrictions. On August 6, 2021, Seidel won the bronze medal in the Tokyo 2020 marathon and was the first American woman to medal in the event since Deena Kastor's bronze in 2004. Seidel finished fourth at the 2021 New York City Marathon with a time of 2:24:42, which was the fastest ever by an American woman. She won $50,000 in prize money--$25,000 for her fourth-place finish and $25,000 for finishing as the top American. In 2021, Molly Seidel participated in the Berbee Derby held in Fitchburg, Wisconsin and set the record for the fastest run for an individual dressed as a turkey. On April 18, 2022, Seidel competed in the 2022 Boston Marathon. She was in the lead pack for the first half of the race but ended up withdrawing after 16 miles due to a hip impingement. On October 8, 2023, Seidel competed in the 2023 Chicago Marathon. In her first marathon start in eighteen months, Seidel finished in eighth place, the second American, in a personal best time of 2:23:07. On February 1, 2024, Seidel announced via her Instagram that she would not be racing in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon due to a broken patella and partially torn patella tendon.

Competition record

Marathons

International results

Personal life

Seidel has spoken publicly about her experiences with bulimia, OCD, and ADHD.

Runner's World ''Runner's World'' is a global magazine and website for runners of all abilities. It has additionally developed experiential formats, including a digital membership program, called Runner's World+. It is published by Hearst in Easton, Pennsylva ...

. October 6, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2024.

References

External links

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Molly Seidel all-athletic profile
* * * *

* ttp://www.und.com/sports/c-track/mtt/molly_seidel_810333.html Molly Seidel – University of Notre Dame track profile* {{DEFAULTSORT:Seidel, Molly 1994 births Living people American female middle-distance runners Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's track and field athletes Sportspeople from Brookfield, Wisconsin Track and field athletes from Wisconsin Track and field athletes from Boston American female long-distance runners Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's cross country runners Sportspeople from Hartland, Wisconsin Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in track and field NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners 21st-century American sportswomen People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder People with obsessive–compulsive disorder