Wow! Jess McClain Becomes the First American Woman on the NYC Marathon Podium in 8 Years

Jess McClain, the 34-year-old from Scottsdale, Arizona, who has been a fan favorite ever since she reemerged on the American running scene with her fourth-place finish at the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2024, finished second at the New York City Marathon in 2:24:42.She said in an interview with ESPN after the race that she didn’t feel great through the first 18 miles. But it was a good day not to feel great, because the race went out in a pedestrian 1:13:52 for the first half.As the lead pack made its way up Fifth Avenue, McClain’s face betrayed no pain. She also wasn’t alone—three other American women, Weini Kelati, the American record holder in the half marathon, making her debut, Carrie Ellwood, and Paige Wood—were also in the lead pack.The race broke open at mile 23 with eventual champion Sheila Chepkirui and defending champion Hellen Obiri, both of Kenya, creating a seven-second gap.But McClain, in her mint green Brooks kit, was always visible lurking in the distance.And notably, she ran the tangents through the curves of Central Park, while the leaders stayed in the middle of the road, adding distance.“The last two miles through the park, I was just like really focused on the tangents and my form,” McClain said. “And I was taking the shortest line possible, and I kind of noticed Hellen kind of not taking the tangents, and I think honestly, like, every small percentage of anything helped in the last few miles.”McClain stayed within striking distance and ran 5:10 for the 25th mile. As they turned off of Central Park South and back into Central Park, they passed the sign that reads, “400 meters to go.”Chepkirui opened up in the final 200 meters, winning by six seconds. And with mere feet to go until the finish line, McClain overtook Obiri.McClain is no stranger to Central Park, having raced the women’s Mini 10K in June and the Dash to the Finish Line 5K the day before the New York City Marathon. She was eighth in the NYC Marathon in 2024.“I just felt really strong with 400 to go,” she said. “I've been able to like visualize this last 200 to 400, and I just went straight to the arms last 200.”She outsprinted Obiri, who has three Olympic medals, including two silver medals at the 5,000 meters.Behind McClain, Ellwood, 32, finished sixth in 2:26:28, Kelati, 29, was seventh in 2:26:51, and Wood, 30, was eighth in 2:27:29, bold racing against tough international competition. Ellwood didn’t merit a bio page in the New York City Marathon media guide, although she ran 2:22:53 at Boston in April.Combining prize money for top 10 overall and for top American finishes, McClain, who works full-time for nonprofits in Arizona, won $85,000. Ellwood earns $25,000, and Kelati takes home $17,500.The last American woman to make the podium at New York was Shalane Flanagan, who was third in 2018 and won in 2017.McClain’s top-five finish gives her qualification for the Olympic marathon in 2028; but first she’ll need to finish in the top three at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials to make it to the Los Angeles Games.McClain is about three years into her second go-around with professional running. She graduated from Stanford University in 2015 and turned pro with Brooks, joining the Brooks Beasts track club in Seattle. But her progress was slow and she was disappointed with her results.She stepped away from the professional running world and moved back to her home state of Arizona during the pandemic and began training with local men, running a downhill marathon in 2022 and finishing fourth at Grandma’s Marathon in Minnesota in 2023, before that fourth-place finish at the Trials in 2024.She’s been steady atop the ranks of American marathoning ever since. She was eighth at the World Championships in the marathon in 2025 and ran her PR of 2:20:49 at Boston in April. McClain’s also not afraid to stay in touch with her track roots and races 5Ks and 10Ks on the oval. In March this year, in the thick of marathon training for Boston, she put on her spikes and ran 31:15 for 10,000 meters. That speed paid off in New York.Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!