Allie O Admits Eating Disorder and Enters Therapy

Sorry I posted a dup thread! Yours wasn't on the main page at the time I constructed mine.

Gosh I fell so sorry for her but also happy she gets help. Also trolls please don't make this thread a mockery. Yah she is really thin and many could have guessed there is an issue. But Eating Disorders are fundamentally about controlling things in your life and not every skinny person has a disorder so there is just no way for an outsider to conclude anything so don't even try.

Let's just wish her well!!

It takes a lot of emotional strength to recognize a problem like this, take steps to remedy it, and most amazingly become public with it.

This represents a real issue in the running community and we can't ignore it. I know a lot of guys here don't understand why this is such an easy trap to fall into, but nevertheless it's our duty to prevent this. We all know stories about people affected. Heck, my college had issues on the women's team that ruined the program. Ignoring it will not help our sport.

She turned off her YouTube comments. I don't think she wants to know people's opinions and just wanted to say what she wanted to say.

Glad she is getting help before it was too late. Hope she makes a speedy and full recovery.

Big kudos to USATF and Brooks who had a hand in this. They may have saved her life.

I've been watching her Youtube's since this past winter and enjoyed them. I send my best thoughts her way.

But honestly, how many other high level runners probably need help? Allie never looked to me even CLOSE to the worst. I think almost any of us could name ten off the top of our head that look way more in danger than her.

I'm glad she is getting help, and what I am about to say is not a criticism of her in any way...just a general comment about people going through an Eating Disorder or ANY medical issue...

It is not required of anyone, no matter who they are, other than perhaps the elected leader of a country, to publicly announce their medical issues. Fine to want to, but it really is none of anyone's business.

Now, to the positive...Allie O., you are NOT a part of any problem. You have your own struggles and are allowed, were allowed, to go on about your life, to compete, to be the best athlete/person you could and can be, and you should have ZERO shame or guilt about anything.

Good luck!

tacomafan wrote:

I've been watching her Youtube's since this past winter and enjoyed them. I send my best thoughts her way.

But honestly, how many other high level runners probably need help? Allie never looked to me even CLOSE to the worst. I think almost any of us could name ten off the top of our head that look way more in danger than her.

At her level of being a WC qualifier? Not many. Drop it down to conference scorer, yeah there are a ton. The question is this a somewhat recent thing or has it been like the 5+ years that letsrun has been saying.

The line here is really fine. What is the difference between 2020 Seidel who we think his healthy and the ED version in 2016? Like 5lbs and an attitude. That is tough for outsiders to diagnosis.

Yeah my bad. I didn't make it through the whole video.

Haven't watched her video yet, but has she mentioned if she is still going to compete at the Trials? I hope so. Rooting for her!

To all letsrun posters:

If you start typing a reply to this that includes something like, "Wish her the best, but..." or "This may not be a popular take, but...", or pretty much any other reply that uses the word but, just go ahead and not post it.

I am hoping all the best for her. I struggled with an eating disorder in my 20s and it ruined my life for several years. It took years of intensive counseling to work my way out of it. Running doesn't matter right now. She needs to get mentally healthy, and I am glad she is taking the steps to do that. If running comes later, great.

ddidididid wrote:

tacomafan wrote:

I've been watching her Youtube's since this past winter and enjoyed them. I send my best thoughts her way.

But honestly, how many other high level runners probably need help? Allie never looked to me even CLOSE to the worst. I think almost any of us could name ten off the top of our head that look way more in danger than her.

At her level of being a WC qualifier? Not many. Drop it down to conference scorer, yeah there are a ton. The question is this a somewhat recent thing or has it been like the 5+ years that letsrun has been saying.

The line here is really fine. What is the difference between 2020 Seidel who we think his healthy and the ED version in 2016? Like 5lbs and an attitude. That is tough for outsiders to diagnosis.

First of all, it's not for outsiders to diagnose. Secondly, eating disorders are not about weight, a person can still be thin and not have an eating disorder just as a person can be heavy and have one. Molly's weight is irrelevant to her stage of recovery and her attitude, a manifestation of her improved mental health, is a huge factor. Molly knows the difference between 206 Molly and 2020 Molly and that's all that matters. Allie will get there, she has a huge circle of support with her family, her friends and her true fans, like me!

Thank you Spencer for making her realize that her eating habits are not healthy. Better days will come now

It had nothing to do with Spencer. In the video she said her coach, Brooks and USATF forced her to enter therapy or she'd be dropped.

How do people feel about them threatening to drop her if she doesn't enter therapy? In a way it sounds noble, but in a way it sounds evil.

tincan man wrote:

It had nothing to do with Spencer. In the video she said her coach, Brooks and USATF forced her to enter therapy or she'd be dropped.

How do people feel about them threatening to drop her if she doesn't enter therapy? In a way it sounds noble, but in a way it sounds evil.

I mean at least they care enough about her to do this. Some coaches will know its there and even encourage it.

The sport is really failing when it comes to eating disorders. It is still happening way too much. A pro runner should never have this problem. Coaches, physios, etc. need to treat nutrition like an essential aspect of a runners training program and make sure that runners are maintaining a healthy weight and are eating normally.

It is also hard to watch her do a youtube video on this. Social media is a big contributor to eating disorders. I know she is a pro now and feels like she has a connection with her fans on social media. But that video is going to be out there forever. I just don't see how that is a healthy thing for her.

ddidididid wrote:

tacomafan wrote:

I've been watching her Youtube's since this past winter and enjoyed them. I send my best thoughts her way.

But honestly, how many other high level runners probably need help? Allie never looked to me even CLOSE to the worst. I think almost any of us could name ten off the top of our head that look way more in danger than her.

At her level of being a WC qualifier? Not many. Drop it down to conference scorer, yeah there are a ton. The question is this a somewhat recent thing or has it been like the 5+ years that letsrun has been saying.

The line here is really fine. What is the difference between 2020 Seidel who we think his healthy and the ED version in 2016? Like 5lbs and an attitude. That is tough for outsiders to diagnosis.

Allie O said in the youtube video she has had some form of an eating disorder since she was 12 years old. It makes me wonder if some of the posters who claimed earlier that she had stunted puberty might be correct.

Not that outsiders can diagnose anything, but I would hazard a guess Molly Seidel weights a good 10-15 lbs more than she did in college as a woman who is similar in height to her. She is super lean now, but her legs have so much more muscle on them. Plus she is running 120 mile weeks without getting injured constantly. That alone is huge. In college seemed injured constantly.

Allie O has been injured constantly her entire collegiate and professional career with several of the injuries being stress fractures. Regardless of weight, stress fractures are a big red flag for under-fueling, whether it is anorexia or just not being able to keep up with calories during training unintentionally.

tincan man wrote:

It had nothing to do with Spencer. In the video she said her coach, Brooks and USATF forced her to enter therapy or she'd be dropped.

How do people feel about them threatening to drop her if she doesn't enter therapy? In a way it sounds noble, but in a way it sounds evil.

I was a little surprised by that. She's been with them since 2019 right? I wonder how and when they realized there was a problem. I think it's the right thing to do though. I hope she recovers.