Jess McClain After Finishing 8th At The 2024 New York City Marathon (2:27:19, No. 2 American) | Race Recap + Reflections
The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show - A podcast by CITIUS MAG
“I think as I run more and more and get more miles on my legs, I'll be able to hang with that lead pack later and later. But I stuck to my guns. I didn't really have a race plan going in other than taking the first few miles to feel it out. Then really just believing that I belonged in that lead pack for as long as I could hang with them.”
My guest for today’s episode is Jess McClain, who just wrapped up a heck of a year with an eighth-place finish at the New York City Marathon, running 2:27:19 and finishing as the second American.
It was Jess’s first World Marathon Major, and she showed incredible grit, moving steadily from 11th to 8th in the final miles and securing a spot among the top marathoners in the world.
As we’ve explored on this show with her in January, Jess’s journey to the marathon stage has been anything but typical. A former Stanford standout who took a hiatus from professional running, she’s reemerged with stunning results. Earlier this year, she finished fourth at the Olympic Marathon Trials, making her the alternate for Team USA and nearly earning a spot at the Paris Olympics. She’s since signed with Brooks and built a strong racing resume, including wins at the USATF Road 10K Championships and a second-place finish at the USATF 20K Championships.
Today, we’ll dive into her self-coached approach, her bold comeback, and what drives her heading into 2025.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Jess McClain | @jesstonn
Previous episodes with Jess McClain:
Jess McClain On Signing With Brooks Running (Again) + Deciding To Return To The Track
Time stamps:
3:15 - Reflections on her 8th place finish at the NYC Marathon
5:58 - Rediscovering her love for racing
8:03 - Why she decided on racing NYC as her fall marathon
10:34 - Details on her training throughout her build
13:34 - Importance of being grounded outside of running
16:31 - How her training setup has evolved + what she wants to change next
19:39 - How she strikes the balance between working and training
24:01 - Nerves before the race
27:35 - Starting line + first few miles
29:37 - Story about accidentally reversing her bibs
35:49 - Thoughts when the big move was made during the race
43:07 - Feelings after crossing the finish line
45:38 - Looking ahead to future marathons
49:01 - Thoughts on racing a track 10K next year
51:16 - Overrated/underrated: training methods
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