Jess McClain was the first American woman to finish the 2025 Boston Marathon, finishing seventh on April 21, 2025 in a PB of 2:22:43. Jess McClain finished eighth in Tokyo, Japan in September in hot and humid conditions, Jess ran 2:29:20 on the streets of Tokyo. Jesse finished 8th in the marathon at the 2025 World Outdoor Athletics Championships.
Here’s a piece we did on our Tokyo 2025 Champions Previews: https://www.runblogrun.com/2025/09/tokyo-2025-preview-11-the-steady-miles-of-jess-mcclain.html
We went back into our archives from a year ago and found the following interview with Jess McClain, who had just signed with Brooks. Please note that from 2019 to 2024, Jess McClain ran the 5000m to 10000m at the US Outdoor Championships almost every year.
Eight questions with Jess McClain, from the RBR archives
The 2024 US Olympic Trials Marathon was full of surprises on February 3, 2024. One of those was a great 4th place for Jess McClain, who recently took a two year break from racing. Jess McClain scored a 4 minute goal in Orlando and recently signed a sponsorship deal with Brooks Running. From 2014-2018, Jess was nominated by Brooks Beasts TC.
We caught up with Jess McClain via Megan Stills at Brooks communications with 8 questions. We thank Jesse for his time and answers and Megan for making this opportunity possible together.
RunBlogRun, #1: Tell us about your race in Orlando. What went according to plan and what surprised you?
Jess McClain. The Orlando race is without a doubt my most cherished race memory. I had a lot of fun. It was the plan put myself into the race from the start and found myself well in the lead pack for the first 13.1 miles. I did that for the first three miles until I realized we were running under 5:30, which was way too fast for me.
I made the call to pull back and work on the second group of great women about 10 miles in, and then started back to the women who were falling away from the first pack. I ran by myself until about mile 14/15 and then slowly worked to catch some of the women ahead of me. I continued to climb for the rest of the race and found myself in fourth place with about 800m to go, a little later to take third. But I was so happy with my performance, almost a four-minute personal best.
RunBlogRun, #2: How do you feel about being a professional runner with sponsor Brooks?
Jess McClain. I am so excited to be a Brooks athlete again! I spent time at the Brooks Hyperion home in Orlando and felt right at home being surrounded by the brand, old teammates and Brooks employees. I feel very fortunate to have the support of Brooks at this stage of my life, married, working in the non-profit sector, and living full-time in Arizona. I am so excited to join a brand that has been at the forefront of our sport for so many years. It feels great to be back.
RunBlogRun, #3: How is your recovery going?
Jess McClain. Recovery is going great and I’m back in training for three weeks. After my last two marathons, I found it helpful to rest completely and then run easy for a few weeks. I went to Cabo with my family to hit the “reset” button and have been diligent about body work (massage and wraps) since early March, so my body feels good. I’m excited to get out on the road and running soon, which is a good sign that I’m fully recovered mentally and physically from the Orlando Marathon Trials.
RunBlogRun, #4: What was your first experience with our sport?
Jess McClain. My first real running memory was when my elementary school PE teacher encouraged me to try an after-school track program after watching me run the mile in PE class and beat all the boys. I also played soccer at the time, but went to some after school track classes and absolutely LOVED it. Fun fact: i was so nervous before my first club track meet that my dad took me out for ice cream instead of making me race. The next time I was less anxious and remembered that I had a lot of fun.
RunBlogRun, #5: What was the greatest running lesson in high school?
Jess McClain. I think high school taught me to be disciplined and manage my time. Growing up in Arizona, we practiced at 5am, which meant very early bedtimes and very early alarms. I never saw the end of a single high school football game, but it was worth it when I did well at state in cross country and track and field and eventually got accepted to Stanford University as a student-athlete. Ultimately, I learned what it means to work hard and invest in a goal, and have fun along the way.
RunBlogRun, #6: What was your biggest lesson from running in college?
Jess McClain. The biggest lesson I learned at Stanford from coach Chris Miltenberg was to be present and enjoy/trust the process. As a student-athlete at Stanford, I quickly fell into the intensity and high demands of our academics and athletics. He always reminded us to be present during practice (try not to think about school), present during class (try not to think about running), and to fully enjoy the moment with our friends. This is still the mindset I employ today.
RunBlogRun, #7: Why did you decide to take a break from running?
Jess McClain. I didn’t stop running altogether because five steady runs a week kept me mentally sane during the pandemic. However, I took a break from racing for about two years, which turned out to be one of the best things I could have done for myself. My last race before the pandemic was in February 2020 and I ran my first marathon in February 2022.
During the pandemic, it was difficult to stay motivated to race with no starting line in sight. I saw an opportunity to invest in my marketing career with a truly amazing startup and enjoyed the wedding planning process with my now-husband Conor throughout 2021. Taking a step away from racing made me realize how much I love it and it gives me the opportunity to challenge myself.
RunBlogRun, #8: What do you love about running?
Jess McClain. I love that you almost have no choice but to be offline and in the moment when you’re on the run. Sure, I listen to my curated playlists and the occasional podcast when I’m running solo here and there, but when I’m running with my training partners or friends, I spend anywhere from two and a half hours with them with no distractions. Running has brought some of my nearest and dearest friendships into my life.
Running has also gotten me through life’s ups and downs. I can’t wait to get out some celebratory miles as I celebrate a major life event. When I overcome grief, I go for a run. When I need to clear my head, running is almost always there to help. This is one of the main reasons I make sure to take care of my body and stay healthy. running keeps me healthy and I love it.
