As the third of four children, Molly Huddle grew up in Elmira, NY watching her father run. Huddle didn't start running herself until she was 12 years old and didn't begin taking it seriously until the end of high school. As a junior, Huddle lettered in soccer, basketball, and outdoor track. "My junior year, I improved a lot because I started to run over the summer instead of just during the season," says Huddle. Her senior year, Huddle decided to run cross country. Even though she was the only member of her high school's cross country team, that didn't stop Huddle from winning multiple state championships in the sport. As a one-runner team, her father coached her and she was undefeated her senior year.

“In the professional running world, becoming an Olympian is the pinnacle achievement. It's what we train for. Our lives are in four-year cycles because of planning for the Olympics.”

After high school, she ran for Notre Dame and got a degree in biological sciences. At Notre Dame, she became the most decorated athlete in school history as a 10-time All-American. After college, Huddle had intended to go to medical school but she was doing so well as a runner that she continued focusing on her athletic talent. Her choice to move to Rhode Island allowed her to train under Ray Treacy and learn from a group of world-class female athletes.