Episode 710: Jess McClain: A Full-Time Job, World Champs PR, and NYC Next

Jess McClain is back on the podcast ahead of the NYC Marathon! After finishing fifth at the 2026 Boston Marathon in 2:20:49, the fastest time ever run by an American woman on the course, Jess continues to establish herself as one of the top marathoners in the country.

Jess and I catch up on her recent 66:53 half marathon PR at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, her progression from running the Mesa Marathon for fun to becoming an Olympic Trials contender, and what she’s looking forward to in New York. We also talk about how she’s approaching the road to the 2028 Olympics after narrowly missing the team in 2024.

We get into her relationship with coach David Roche, why she chooses to navigate professional running without an agent, and how she balances elite training with her full-time role as a nonprofit executive director and her new involvement as a part owner of The Marathon Project. Plus, Jess reflects on her decision to return to Brooks, the friendships she’s built in the sport, and why keeping running fun and maintaining perspective have been so important to her success.

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