Jess McClain After Finishing 8th At The 2024 New York City Marathon (2:27:19, No. 2 American) | Race Recap + Reflections

“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 Jess McClain After Finishing Fourth At The 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:25:46) + How She Did It Self-Coached and Unsponsored | Race Recap 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 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS WAHOO: KICKR RUN - a new revolutionary treadmill offering the freedom and form of outdoor running at home, from Wahoo Fitness. Run hands-free and focus solely on the joy of running with the innovative RunFree Mode - which adjusts to your stride and pace automatically. For the first time runners can now fully benefit from indoor training apps such as Zwift Run and the Wahoo app for an immersive training experience that delivers unmatched realism and results. Learn more at WahooFitness.com OLIPOP: For the past year, we’ve redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner’s Soda. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.