Interview: “Full Send, But Slow” — A Conversation with Molly Ess

Recorded November 4, 2025, Raleigh, NC

Cameron: What’s up, Molly? Been a minute.

Molly: Hi, Cam.

Cameron: Alright, we are rolling. The plan is simple: we talk, I turn this into a piece for the blog, and then you send me some photos to go with it. Sound good?

Molly: Sounds good.

Cameron: Beautiful. Let’s start at the beginning. Who are you, how did you get here, and what are you up to these days?

Molly: My name’s Molly. I started in tennis growing up, but eventually wanted something new. My dad was into cycling, so one day I asked if he would get me a road bike. He said yes. We started riding together in my junior year of high school, around 2021.

I fell early on and tore up my knee, and I also did a 75-mile ride less than a year after getting my bike. That was rough. But instead of thinking “that was it,” I thought, “I want to be able to do that easily.”

Cameron: So you jumped in fast. Had you biked much before that?

Molly: Mostly riding to the grocery store or around the neighborhood with friends. Music blasting, trying to go fast. When I got a real road bike, everything shifted.

Cameron: What hooked you?

Molly: I love going fast. And biking in Raleigh is just more convenient than driving. Also, I am competitive by nature.

Competition As a Teacher

Cameron: Let’s talk about that. Competition looks like a big theme for you.

Molly: I grew up with two older brothers, so life was competitive from the beginning. You got what you earned. Sports were always about proving to myself that I could do something if I put the work in. Reaching a milestone feels incredible. It builds confidence and shows you can always improve.

Cycling became the place where I could constantly grow. And it is accessible. You can hop on your bike to class and that is training.

NC State, Triathlon, and Leveling Up

Cameron: How did things evolve once you got to NC State?

Molly: I joined the Triathlon Club. I could swim well, I was getting into running, and I already loved bikes. Being around people who trained hard and were fast was motivating. Seeing classmates averaging 20 mph made me think, “I could do that.”

I never looked at someone’s ability and thought, “I will never get there.” I always thought, “That looks awesome. I want to do that.”

Cameron: Where does that mindset come from?