Molly Seidel, the Olympic marathon bronze medalist, made a statement in her debut ultra with a decisive victory on Saturday at the Bandera 50K in Texas. In her first race at the distance, Seidel not only won the women’s race but finished first overall, breaking a long-standing course record in the process.
Seidel crossed the finish line in 4 hours 9 minutes 39 seconds, obliterating the previous course record of 4:24:47 that had stood since 2012. Her time also placed her ahead of the entire men’s field in one of the most established early-season ultramarathons in the United States.
The victory comes as Seidel shifts her focus away from road racing after several injury-filled years and begins a season aimed at qualifying for the Western States 100, the sport’s most prestigious event.
A Statement Win in Texas
The Bandera 50K, held annually in the Hill Country outside San Antonio, is considered a proving ground for elite ultrarunners and often serves as a launching point for the American trail season.
Seidel approached the race as a tune-up rather than a peak effort. Bandera was meant to prepare her for the Black Canyon 100K in Arizona next month, a World Trail Majors event that awards coveted “Golden Tickets” to the Western States 100, one of the sport’s most prestigious races.
Instead, she delivered one of the most dominant performances in the event’s history.
Her overall victory made clear how quickly her road-running strength has translated to technical terrain and long distances, even against athletes who have specialized in trail racing for a while now.
The Road to Western States
The Black Canyon 100K, scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 14, will offer two Golden Tickets each to the top men and women finishers, granting automatic entry to the 2027 Western States 100. A strong result there would give Seidel more than a year to prepare for the 100-mile race in California.
If she falls short, she will have another opportunity later in the year at the Javelina Jundred, a 100-mile race in Arizona that also serves as a Golden Ticket qualifier.
“The Western States 100 was always a dream for me,” Seidel said in a recent interview with iRunFar. “I’m such a Scott Jurek fangirl.”
From Olympic Podium to the Trails
Seidel, 31, rose quickly to prominence on the road. She made her marathon debut at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Atlanta, finishing second and earning a spot on the Olympic team. One year later, after the Games were delayed by the pandemic, she won the bronze medal in the marathon in Sapporo, Japan.
Later in 2021, she ran 2:24:42 at the New York City Marathon, the fastest time ever by an American woman at the race. She lowered her personal best again to 2:23:07 at the Chicago Marathon in 2023.
Behind those achievements, Seidel has spoken openly about years of struggle with eating disorders, mental health challenges, and the pressure that came with sudden success. Injuries followed, including a fractured kneecap that forced her to miss the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and ended her hopes of defending her Olympic medal in Paris.
She returned to the New York City Marathon later that year but dropped out, and her long sponsorship relationship with Puma ended soon after.
Choosing a New Path
In 2026, Seidel has chosen a different direction. While she has not ruled out road racing entirely, she is now prioritizing trail and ultratrail competition.
Trail running is not entirely new to her. She finished second at the Speedgoat Mountain Races in 2022 and 2023 and ran cross-country extensively in high school and college. During periods of injury, trail training became a key part of her rehabilitation.
“Once I actually opened up the space to listen to what I wanted to do, [trail running] is what I wanted to do,” Seidel said to iRunFar. “I enjoy being up in the mountains. I enjoy getting to run with my friends on trails. I enjoy getting to have the freedom.”
She added, “Marathon has been something where I’ve been incredibly successful, but it has been really mentally tough on me. And I think it took me a while to recognize that while I was really succeeding at the sport, I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t healthy.”
A Promising Beginning
Seidel’s victory at Bandera does not guarantee future success at longer distances, but it has immediately placed her among the most closely watched athletes in American ultrarunning.
For now, she is focused on what comes next rather than how far the path might eventually lead.
“Ultimately, even if I don’t prove to be all that successful on trail,” she said to iRunFar, “I think I just get to honor the fact that I do love getting to do this.”
After one race, the transition appears to be off to a remarkable start.
FYI, the Black Canyon 100k gives golden tickets to the 2026 WSER, not the 2027.