A SENSE OF PURE JOY

Molly, are you on a European tour at the moment? On vacation?

Molly: It is a combination of tour and holiday. We came over to watch the UTMB (Ultra marathon) in Europe. I also received medical treatment for my hip here. We visited Salzburg and Geneva and were able to explore the surrounding area.

What was your highlight so far?

Molly: I have to say that the UTMB was incredible – it was my first time up there and it was gorgeous and very, very fun.

You won bronze at the 2021 Olympic marathon. Can you recall the moment when you realized you could be on the podium?

Molly: It was really incredible and a very difficult race – it was really hot, and there were so many challenges at that time in terms of racing during a pandemic and so on. When I came over the finish line and got bronze, it was like a sense of shock. “OMG, I can not believe it.” All the hard work and all the struggles you took to get to this point really came out, I experienced an enormous sense of pure joy.

This year you declared yourself out of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene due to a stress reaction in your sacrum. How do you feel now?

Molly: That’s why I am here right now, I have a problem with my hip and my lower back. It is difficult to get it going again, but now it is feeling better. PUMA is supporting me to get healthy and make sure that I get back on track. I am very grateful to be with a company that does that.

In July you made your trail racing debut – was that something you planned for for a long time? 

Molly: Oh God, no. (laughs) Basically I walked a trail race for fun. My boyfriend does trail races, so he was doing the longer version of it. It was supposed to be the week after Worlds, but as I was not able to run fast, I was just thinking that I’d walk it. I had the race entry and I thought I might do it. Apparently, even if you only walk, you still do pretty good at trail racing. I am definitely more of a road runner, I don’t like the downhills. Everyone is sprinting down and I have to slide down the hills. I prefer the roads and I would take a road marathon over trails any day!

What shoes did you wear?

Molly: I wore an old pair of PUMA flats, just road flats. They were the first pair of PUMA shoes I have ever bought online. I should have worn trail shoes, but I thought, “Well, I am just walking anyways”.

Do you listen to music at all whiles running?

Molly: It depends. When I am in training, I usually don’t. But if I am just running by myself, sometimes I am listening to music, something rhythmic and simple. I feel that I run best when I am not thinking about anything, when I am just in the moment.

What´s your favorite running route?

Molly: My favorite running route is in front of my house in Flagstaff. I can go right up my back door and there are miles of trails and a great 10-mile trail that just loops around from my house. It goes through the pine trees and it is really quiet there.

How often do you run?

Molly: During the marathon season, I do 90 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening, every day. Then, on the weekends I do 2-3 hours long runs.

Do you have any special routine before a competition?

Molly: I am not really superstitious. But I do things in a certain way to be prepared, like eating at a certain time, getting all my gear together, etc.

I guess eating means a lot of shakes?

Molly: No, actually I don’t really like that. I usually have a sandwich with peanut butter and jelly (SO GOOD!) – I prefer to chew my food.

How do you motivate yourself for running long distances?

Molly: Keeping my goals in mind. I have really big goals for myself and this sport. And especially knowing that the Paris 2024 Olympics are two years away, I am trying to do everything I can do be as good as I can. At the same time, I just really love going out and running. It is not even that hard to motivate, I really want to do it. I probably won’t come back to Munich before 8/9pm tonight, but I will definitely go for a run as soon as I get back. I feel very lucky to get to do this for my job.

Do you have any tips for people who want to start their training for a marathon?

Molly: The biggest challenge, even if you’re starting from scratch, is to just do it every day. It doesn’t have to be super far, but you have to be consistent and make it a habit. I think the more consistently you do something, the more motivation you’ll get out of it. I think a lot of people think you have to be motivated, then you’ll be consistent. But I think if you do something, even if you don’t want to do it, you will eventually develop the motivation and the love for it. Honestly, it’s about putting on your shoes, going out the door and saying, “Hey, I’m not coming back for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, until you get to the point where you sit back and say, “I’m not coming back for 90 minutes,” taking just small steps.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

Molly: When I get back to the U.S., I’ll get back into full training. I am hoping to do the half-marathon in Boston in November and some 10K-runs here in Europe again in December. In that sense, I hope my hip will feel good. I did not have a lot of races this year, so I am very antsy to get back because I just do love racing and have fun with it.