Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

8 hours ago

‘Freedom Week’: California Gun Owners Rush to Buy Ammo After Court Ruling

11 hours ago

Wall Street Selloff Sparked by Trump Tariffs, Amazon Results, Weak Payrolls

11 hours ago

US Construction Spending Extends Decline in June

11 hours ago

Global Shares in Red After US Jobs Data, Trump’s Tariff Salvo

11 hours ago

Construction of $200M Trump Ballroom at the White House to Begin in September

1 day ago

US Senate Committee Backs $1 Billion for Ukraine in Pentagon Spending Bill

1 day ago

Trump Says Mexico Trade Deal Extended for 90 Days

1 day ago

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

2 days ago
Molly Friel, Fresno's Amazing Marathoner, Runs Race for the Ages
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 8 years ago on
January 12, 2018

Share

So, you think you’re a fast runner.
We bet you aren’t fast as 50-year-old Molly Friel of Fresno.
She qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials by running the 26.2 miles in 2 hours, 43.57 seconds — well under the Olympic qualifying mark. For those of you trying to get a handle on how fast that it is, she averaged 6:15 per mile.
Consistency carried Friel to the amazing performance. She ran the second half of the race only 9 seconds slower than the first.
The Fresno legal secretary — who has never run in the famous Boston Marathon — is the second-oldest woman to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the grueling race, reports runnersworld.com.
The oldest, Sister Marion Irvine, was 54 when she achieved the feat in 1984. However, the qualifying standard in those days was more than six minutes slower than today.
Friel beat the mark needed to qualify by 1 minute, 3 seconds at the California International Marathon on Dec. 3. The downhill course starts in Folsom and ends in Sacramento.
“She’s got grit, you know?” Ian Torrence, Friel’s coach for the past five years, told runnersworld.com. “She knows how to push through the pain.”

Now a Three-Time Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier

That Friel does. She previously qualified for the 2004 and 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials when she was in her 30s and 40s. The way she continues to excel should be an inspiration to young and old alike.
Interestingly, Friel has two types of training partners: human and two of her family’s dogs. Pogi can stick with her for up to 14 miles and Buster lasts for about 5 miles. A third dog, Pogi, is content to stay at home.
“The easy runs are supposed to be easy; they should be enjoyable,” Torrence said. “The only way you’re going to get through a marathon cycle like that is to enjoy your running. For Molly, that’s running with her pups.”


Unlike athletes who stick to strict nutrition regimens, Friel likes her treats. “I eat a lot of crap,” she said. “I like junk food. I like candy. I like cookies.”

Friel Goes and Knows the Distance

The low-key Friel had quite a story to tell when she returned to work after her super-fast marathon. Her boss asked if she had a race over the weekend.
“Oh yeah, I had a race in Sacramento,” Friel said.
“Oh, you must have run along the American River Trail,” he remarked.
“Well, no, it ran from Auburn down to the Capitol.”
“Are you sure that’s 26 miles?” her boss asked.
“Well, actually, it’s 26.2,” Friel answered.
“Are you sure?” the lawyer pushed back.
“Yeah,” Friel said. “Yeah. I’m sure.”
You can read the runnersworld.com story at this link.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

US Judges Speak Out About Death Threats, ‘Swattings,’ and ‘Pizza Doxings’

DON'T MISS

It’s Raining Cash for Some 2026 Fresno City Council Hopefuls

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Finds E. Coli at Avocado Lake. Don’t Swim There

DON'T MISS

Trump Fires US Labor Department’s Statistical Leader After Weaker Than Expected Jobs Report

DON'T MISS

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

DON'T MISS

Trump Eyes Bringing Azerbaijan, Central Asian Nations Into Abraham Accords, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

DON'T MISS

Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia

DON'T MISS

Fresno Councilmember Vang Accused of Conflict of Interest in Budget Vote

DON'T MISS

Ghislaine Maxwell Moved From Florida Prison to Lower-Security Facility

UP NEXT

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

UP NEXT

Fresno Councilmember Vang Accused of Conflict of Interest in Budget Vote

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Scott Oscar Whitehead

UP NEXT

Visalia Road Project to Temporarily Shut Down Part of Caldwell Avenue

UP NEXT

Fresno Fire Displaces Family of Three, Pets Rescued

UP NEXT

Measure C Advisory Group Still Squabbling but Agrees on Mission Statement

UP NEXT

Adopt Eevee and She’ll Bring Sunshine Into Your Life

UP NEXT

Fresno County Authorities Arrest Suspect, Recover Firearms and Drugs in Fowler

UP NEXT

Fresno’s $100M Warehouse Project Means Big Things for City: Dyer

UP NEXT

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

Trump Fires US Labor Department’s Statistical Leader After Weaker Than Expected Jobs Report

7 hours ago

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

8 hours ago

Trump Eyes Bringing Azerbaijan, Central Asian Nations Into Abraham Accords, Sources Say

8 hours ago

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

8 hours ago

Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia

9 hours ago

Fresno Councilmember Vang Accused of Conflict of Interest in Budget Vote

9 hours ago

Ghislaine Maxwell Moved From Florida Prison to Lower-Security Facility

9 hours ago

Trump Escalates Trade War With Canada Following Palestine Stance

9 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Scott Oscar Whitehead

10 hours ago

‘Freedom Week’: California Gun Owners Rush to Buy Ammo After Court Ruling

11 hours ago

US Judges Speak Out About Death Threats, ‘Swattings,’ and ‘Pizza Doxings’

United States judges spoke out against the unprecedented surge in violence and disturbing threats made against members of the judicial branc...

5 hours ago

United States judges speaking about receiving violent threats over rulings
5 hours ago

US Judges Speak Out About Death Threats, ‘Swattings,’ and ‘Pizza Doxings’

Fresno city hall with council campaign finance money
6 hours ago

It’s Raining Cash for Some 2026 Fresno City Council Hopefuls

E. coli identified at avocado lake
7 hours ago

Fresno County Finds E. Coli at Avocado Lake. Don’t Swim There

President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner with Republican Senators, in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 18, 2025. (Reuters File)
7 hours ago

Trump Fires US Labor Department’s Statistical Leader After Weaker Than Expected Jobs Report

Breaking News from Reuters
8 hours ago

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 31, 2025. (Reuters File)
8 hours ago

Trump Eyes Bringing Azerbaijan, Central Asian Nations Into Abraham Accords, Sources Say

8 hours ago

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

President Donald Trump speaks after disembarking Marine One, as he departs for Scotland, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 25, 2025. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
9 hours ago

Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend