We speak to the British indoor 1500m silver medallist whose leap of faith is paying off.
When Molly Hudson stepped on to the start line for the women’s 1500m at this year’s British Indoor Athletics Championships, she did so with quiet ambition rather than expectation. “I didn’t think I’d win a medal this year,” she says. “In the future, maybe. But not now.”
The field was deep and experienced. For her, the fight for bronze seemed the most likely outcome.
“I thought one and two were probably confirmed between Jemma [Reekie] and Revee [Walcott-Nolan],” says the 23-year-old. However, some advice from Dave Ragan, coach to her partner Ben Pattison, changed her mindset. “Don’t give anyone too much respect.”
For an athlete who has struggled with self-belief, the instruction hit home. “I’m usually someone who doubts myself a lot, so I needed to be overly confident going in,” she says.
It worked, as Hudson positioned herself well and captured a senior national silver medal behind Reekie.
“I was just thinking, ‘Don’t doubt yourself. Stay in it’,” she says. “It came down to how much you wanted it. And I obviously wanted it.”
The medal marked a major step forward after what has been a challenging period.
“The past few years have been really hard,” says Hudson. “Mentally, especially.”
Hudson spent two years in the United States in the NCAA system at Boston College, where she achieved academic success and formed strong friendships but struggled to progress on the track. Coaching changes disrupted continuity and confidence.
“The training was very turbulent. The first year I probably didn’t do enough, the second year I probably did too much. There wasn’t consistency. And consistency is key in running,” she says. “I had one coach we didn’t see eye to eye with, and the training wasn’t right for me. It was a really difficult time. She gave me a hard time out there. There were moments I wanted to come home, and I didn’t, but I stuck it out, and I’m glad I did because I completed it.”
Hudson improved her 1500m PB but plateaued over 800m, frustrated by the lack of repeatable training and momentum. Returning to the UK and based back in Loughborough, Hudson began working formally with Pattison. The transition was not without its challenges. After completing the American collegiate season early, she tried to extend into the British season without a proper reset.
“I tried to force it,” she says. “I wasn’t ready mentally or physically. I was just desperate to prove a point.”
Instead, she refocused on rebuilding. Training volume settled into what she calls her “sweet spot” of 40-45 miles a week, and the emphasis shifted to consistency rather than chasing quick fixes. Trusting Pattison as a coach was a leap to take, but one that paid off.
“When I came back, I thought: ‘I’m just going to trust you’. I listened to everything he said.
I don’t really need a lot of attention. I just get on with it because he’s got his own thing.”
Their approach paid off with a 4:10.02 performance early in the indoor season – a personal best.
“I knew it was in me,” she says. “Physically I was in a good place. It was more of a mental block. When you run a PB or a time you’re happy with, your confidence just comes back. If you don’t believe you can do it, you won’t.”
Looking ahead, Hudson’s focus is clear: lower her personal best and position herself for major championship standards.
“After this indoor season, I’m setting my eyes on those Commonwealth and European standards a bit more,” she says. “I can definitely run sub-4:10.”
For now, the British indoor silver stands as evidence the rebuild is working.
“I’ve finally been happy with my races,” she says. “And that’s been a long time coming.”
If you could choose one person to train/compete with, past or present, who would it be and why?
I’d have to say either Jessica Ennis or Kelly Holmes as they were both my idols growing up and women I look up to. I don’t think I’d be able to keep up with any of them though and I assume Jess’s training would be different to mine! But it would be a lot of fun.
