Molly Seidel of the United States celebrates after winning bronze
(Picture: REUTERS)Your immediate neighbours on flights can either make or break a trip.
For Olympian Molly Seidel, the story of an encounter she had in the sky will surely be a funny anecdote to be told for years to come.
Seidel, 26, recently scooped bronze in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon, making her the third American woman to get a medal in the gruelling 26.2 mile Olympic race. Amazingly, the Olympics was only Seidel’s third ever attempt at a marathon.
On my flight was talking to a guy next to me & it came up that I run. He starts telling me how I need to train high mileage & pulls up an analysis he’d made of a pro runner’s training on his phone.
— Molly Seidel (@ByGollyMolly12) August 28, 2021
The pro runner was me. It was my training.
Didn’t have the heart to tell him.
She tweeted: “On my flight was talking to a guy next to me & it came up that I run. He starts telling me how I need to train high mileage & pulls up an analysis he’d made of a pro runner’s training on his phone. The pro runner was me. It was my training. Didn’t have the heart to tell him.” [sic]
The tweet has garnered over 61,000 likes and has received hundreds of replies. Some shared similar gaffes, whereas others cracked jokes.
Here are some of the best reactions:
This is my favorite pic.twitter.com/lPvuimpnb5
— Lisa Fitzgerald (@lisaafitzgerald) August 28, 2021
Someone once asked me how long I'd been at university. I think I replied something like "8 years." He looked at me and said, "Keep trying and eventually you'll pass."
— Dr Gail Barnes (@ZAGrrl) August 29, 2021
I hope as you deplaned, that you said, "I didn't get your name?" And when he answered, that you said, "It was so nice chatting with you, _____. My name's Molly. Molly Seidel." Then gave him a brilliant smile, turned around, and walked away.
— Perry Barber (@perrybarber) August 28, 2021
Reminds me of the story of a marathoner guy on an airplane who unknowingly told @laurenfleshman that he also started with 5ks and if she kept at it maybe one day she could run a marathon too. 😂
— Bradford (@bradford_hardin) August 28, 2021
Consider how few questions this person must have asked of Molly in order to NOT find out that she was Molly
— Clare Egan (@BiathleteEgan) August 28, 2021
I love how he was mansplaining how to train to an Olympic medalist!
— Julie (@Badgergrrrl) August 28, 2021
Olympic level mansplaining!
— Ted 😷 (@touchted) August 28, 2021
— Ann Batenburg (@AnnBatenburg) August 28, 2021
We can only hope that the man has now read this or goes on to also become an Olympian because it’s safe to say Seidel got him.
