For Molly Huddle, the year 2014 has been tremendous.
Huddle taming Central Park, June 14, 2014,
photo by PhotoRun.net
Molly started the 2014 season with her third place debut in the NYC Half Marathon with a 1:09:04. On April 19, Molly Huddle won the BAA 5k in the last hundred meters, with her 15:12 win on Boston’s city streets, came in the last 100 meters.
On May 4, Molly was second with a fine 10,000 meters, and a new PB of 30:47, five seconds behind Sally Kipyego, who ran 30:42. On June 14, Molly Huddle battled a tough field in Central Park, setting a new AR for the 10k roads on a course so difficult that her race had to be seen to be believed. Battling Mamitu Deska over five and one half miles, Molly ran 31:37 on that god awful course.
Her 5,000 meter US title was hard fought, as Molly, lead most of the race, then, had to come from behind in the final 50 meters to win in the last several inches. Her win, on June 29, just showed that Molly not only was fit, but her final, gut wrenching lung at the finish, showed that she was, above all, hungry.
Last weekend, on July 13, Molly Huddle won a mile in Ireland with a PB of 4:26.81. Her manager, Ray Flynn, told me that she looked “fantastic, she was moving.” Ray Flynn, is not one prone to hyperbole. Molly was ready to race.
It was with all of this background that Molly Huddle’s race tonight was so amazing. The pace was tough from the beginning, but Molly knew she could not just focus on the record, as Shannon Rowbury, whom Molly noted had just run a fast 1,500 meters.
Here is the interview I did just after Molly’s amazing AR of 14:42.64. We did it in the taxi that Molly, Ray Flynn, her manager and myself shared back to the Fairmont Monaco.
Thanks Molly!
