NYRR Media Center

This April, Jess McClain finished as the top American for the second year in a row at the Boston Marathon, setting both an American course and personal record. Just months later, she returns to the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, seeking the race’s podium for the first time in her career. 

She has had success with the 10K distance this year, winning the Mesa Marathon 10K in February and setting a personal best time of 31:13 on her birthday. In March, her 31:15.49 performance at The TEN landed her in second place.

McClain solidified herself as a major player in the American running scene when she stunned the field at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing fourth in both the 10K and marathon, missing out on a spot on Team USA by only 15 seconds in the marathon. Last year she placed fourth in the USATF Half Marathon Championships, fifth in the 10,000-meter USA Championships, and eighth in the World Athletics Championship Marathon in Tokyo. Earlier this year, McClain qualified for the World Road Running Championships at the 2026 U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta.

Off the roads, McClain has a full-time job as the executive director of the Love Up Foundation and works as a marketing consultant.