Women's Health November 5, 2026 0 Comments

Why Jessica McClain’s Unconventional Running Method Is Shattering Every Rule—and Transforming Her Results Faster Than Anyone Expected

Ever noticed how after a major marathon, there’s this quirky little tradition of crowning not just the top three finishers but also the fastest Americans? It’s like having two separate victory laps—and it really makes you wonder, why is it so tough for U.S. runners to crack the international podium on home turf? Take the New York City Marathon women’s race: no American in the top three for eight whole years (and in the men’s? Since 2009!). Well, hold onto your running shoes, because this Sunday, that dry spell broke in spectacular fashion. Jessica McClain, a Brooks athlete with an infectious smile and a pair of Goodr sunglasses in hand, didn’t just settle for a quiet third-place finish—she surged past last year’s champ in the final meters to nab second, clocking in at 2:24:42. Her journey from quietly ticking off miles to standing shoulder to shoulder with marathon legends is nothing short of mesmerizing—and it all started with shifting her mindset and rediscovering pure joy in the run. Curious how she did it? Stick with me—there’s a lot to unpack here, from strategic pacing to a burger-fueled nutrition plan that might just change how you see marathon prep. LEARN MORE

7 min read

After a major marathon, you hear about two different podiums. There’s the actual podium, made up of the top three finishers, and then another, unofficial one of the fastest Americans. That’s because, though there’s some incredible talent in the U.S., oftentimes, it’s simply not enough to beat out international runners, including on our own courses. In the New York City Marathon women’s race, for example, an American hasn’t been in the top three for eight years. (In the men’s race, it’s been since 2009.)

That streak ended this Sunday when Brooks athlete Jessica McClain crossed the finish line in 2:24:42, coming in at second place. Even more exciting: She was poised to get third but overtook last year’s winner Hellen Obiri in the final meters. She did it looking effortless, with a pair of Goodr sunglasses in her hand and a huge smile on her face.

Even before the race cannon went off that morning, her momentum had been building. In the spring, McClain placed fifth in the Boston Marathon at 2:20:49 and set an American course record. Going into New York, she initially wanted to be in the top five again. “But then I was like, ‘Wait, I want to do better than I did in Boston, and that’s fourth, and I do not want fourth place,’” she tells Women’s Health. So, it was settled: She was shooting for third or higher.

After a performance like she had in New York, you can expect that’s always going to be the goal now for the 34-year-old. “I think ‘top American’ just isn’t going to cut it anymore for where I want to be on the international stage,” she says. “I want to compete and I want to practice competing, especially because we’re coming up on the Olympic trials, and the top three go to the Olympics. I want to practice competing for those top three spots no matter the race.”

How She Pulled Off That Incredible Finish

Heading into NYC, McClain was feeling relaxed. The race started out hard, she remembers, so she just focused on getting her fuel in at each aid station and taking the run mile by mile. “I was just checking boxes and staying out of trouble as much as I could the first 13 to 16 miles,” she says. Then, once she got to Manhattan, the pack started to run faster, her gels started to kick in, and she started to feel better. Still, it wasn’t until the last 10K when the running started to feel really good.

McClain was strategic until the end—running the tangents and taking the shortest turns possible to close the gap between Obiri and first-place finisher Sheila Chepkirui, who she noticed were making their turns a little wider and slower. Even down to the last stretch turning into Central Park, second wasn’t exactly on McClain’s mind. She was just thrilled to take third. She took off her sunglasses to take it all in, which is why they were in her hand as she crossed the finish line.

“Then I saw Hellen looking around and was like, ‘Oh my God, wait, I think I can get second,’” she says. So, she dug deep, pumped her arms, and fed off the crowd’s energy. “I just felt really, really good,” she says. “I’ve run a lot of reps at the end of a lot of hard workouts that were fast and I was like, ‘I can do this.’” The result was one of the most exciting second-place finishes to a marathon in a long time.

The Break That Changed Everything

Despite her headline-grabbing performances in 2026, it was just a few years ago that McClain stepped away from professional running after hitting what she describes as “rock bottom.” She was chronically injured, having dealt with her share of tight tendons, stress fractures, plantar issues, and strained muscles, and unable to race at her full potential. So, she moved home to Arizona, got a full-time job in the nonprofit sector, and reevaluated her relationship with running.

“It gave me a lot of perspective,” McClain says. “For a long time I was very outcome oriented, not process driven. It was a lot about ‘We need to hit these times and get this place,’ and I wasn’t enjoying the ride to get there, and it trickled into a lot of other things in life.”

From 2020 to 2022, McClain just ran for herself. She didn’t have a super formal plan or even a coach. She worked full time, met the man who is now her husband, reconnected with old friends, and had fun outside of her sport. “I needed that, but naturally found my way back [to running],” she says. She signed up for the Mesa Marathon in February 2022 to celebrate her 30th birthday—and won it.

Slowly, she started racing again, even self-coaching her way to a fourth-place performance in the 2024 Olympic marathon trials. Now, she’s resigned with Brooks and back to racing as a professional, but she still maintains all those other parts of herself she gained in her time off. That period away from professional running didn’t sabotage her progress. Instead, it set her up for this latest era, one where she’s happier—and more successful—than ever.

The Power of Not Overthinking It

Stepping away from professional running led to a mindset shift for McClain. First, she prioritizes fun—and you can tell. Obviously, coming off of an incredible finish at one of the world’s biggest marathons will put you in a good mood, but it’s clear that McClain is enthusiastic about running. She leads with such a pure love for the sport that pros (and amateurs) can lose sight of, that she had once lost sight of until her time away.

“This is supposed to be fun,” McClain says. “Running is amazing, but at the end of the day, it’s just running and there’s so much else in life. I just want to enjoy it and to get the best out of myself and make the sport a little bit better, whatever that means.”

That philosophy carries over into her day-to-day training, where she prioritizes workouts she actually enjoys. “Eighty-five percent of the work I do gives me confidence, and then there’s 15 percent that’s really hard that I don’t love, but that’s good for me,” McClain says. She’s also not a cross-trainer. “It does not bring me joy,” McClain says. “I hate swimming. I hate biking.” Yes, even if she gets injured. When it comes to strength training, she keeps that minimal too.

Similarly, you’ll rarely catch McClain wrapping up a session doubled over and exhausted, she says. “I’m never hitting a home run in practice,” she says. “That’s for racing.”

Due to her full-time job as the executive director at the Johnjay & Rich #LoveUp Foundation, her weekly mileage also leans a little shorter than some of her competitors. (During this training block, McClain ran about 72 to 84 miles every week, with one hard session and one long run per week in addition to her easy miles.) Her coach, David Roche, also doesn’t assign runs based on paces. Instead, they focus on effort.

Beyond keeping training from getting too draining, McClain has seen another incredible benefit from this approach: She’s been injury-free for nearly four years. “That’s something that just gives me a little bit of an edge,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of healthy blocks strung together.”

When it comes to nutrition, McClain takes the same refreshingly uncomplicated approach, and it’s paying off. “I just feel like I’m the strongest athlete I’ve ever been,” she says. It’s all very intuitive when it comes to deciding what to eat. You won’t catch her planning out meals or counting macros. There’s nothing super strict or specific to her diet. She eats what she wants and relies on snacks to keep her well-fed. “I’m never hungry,” she says.

Plus, her fueling plan doesn’t come in between her and living life. “In the off season and when my season isn’t super crazy, I go out with friends, I have fun, I go to happy hour. I don’t try to live in restriction or super high monitoring ever,” McClain says. When she gets closer to race day, she dials in a bit more, but since she’s been so relaxed otherwise, it just makes it fun to lock in for a month.

There is one food that’s become a mainstay in her diet: Burgers—two to three nights a week. “It’s super easy,” McClain says. “Throw it on the grill, slap it between two buns and put whatever you want on it. It’s great and I get a ton of protein.” Her sweet treat of choice is Dairy Queen, a spot she frequents.

The Best Is Yet to Come

Next, McClain has her sights set on the Olympics. She placed fourth at the last trials, making her an alternate for Paris but just missing the chance to race for the country.

In the meantime, as she waits for 2028, she’s going to keep crushing the marathon and competing for every podium. “It’s taken a long time to get to the point where I look at these women—and they’re women I’ve been watching and idolizing in the marathon for quite some time—and I’m like, ‘Oh no, I can race with them too,’” she says. But now, there’s no doubting that she can.

Olivia Luppino is an associate editor at Women’s Health. She reports, writes, and edits content ranging from service stories to in-depth features and awards packages across all verticals, including health, fitness, sports, and beauty. While at WH, she’s traveled to Paris, France to watch Faith Kipyegon attempt a sub-4-minute mile and covered major races like Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in Chamonix. Olivia is a RRCA-certified running coach who is especially passionate about helping people start their running journey and is training for her second marathon. Her works also appears in New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly Popsugar), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests.