4 things to know about Jess McClain, the top U.S. women’s runner in the 2026 Boston Marathon

McClain posted a time of 2:20:49.

Jess McClain was the first U.S. woman to cross the finish line at the 2026 Boston Marathon. Jessica Rinaldi / The Boston Globe

By Hayden Bird

April 20, 2026 | 2:55 PM

2 minutes to read

In what was another fast field, Jess McClain once again established herself as the swiftest United States women’s runner in the 2026 Boston Marathon.

McClain, 34, stopped the clock at 2:20:49 to finish in fifth place. Sharon Lokedi of Kenya finished first with a time of 2:18:51.

Here are a few things to know about McClain:

She was a college standout at Stanford.

McClain’s running career began as a high school star in Arizona.

Representing Xavier College Preparatory, she won 14 individual state titles (two in cross-country, 12 in track and field).

Ending up at Stanford for college, she continued her dominance. While running for the Cardinal, McClain earned seven All-American distinctions for both track and field and cross-country.

Her 2026 Boston time was a personal best, topping her 2025 Boston effort.

After initially going pro following her college career, McClain battled injuries and eventually stepped away from the sport to pursue a career in marketing. But after a few years, she returned (initially just running on her own away from competition).

In 2022, McClain gave long-distance running a shot, winning her debut in the Arizona-based Mesa Marathon in a time of 2:33:34.

Coming into Monday, McClain’s personal best marathon time was 2:22:43, set a year ago also in Boston.

In Monday’s 2026 edition, McClain went even faster. Along with many in the rest of the field — which ran a near-record pace — she posted a personal best of 2:20:49. It’s the fastest time ever run by an American woman in Boston, topping Marblehead native Shalane Flanagan’s 2:22:02 in 2014.

She was also the fastest U.S. woman in 2025.

McClain seems to have taken a shine to the Boston course.

Having set her previous PB in Boston, she was also the fastest U.S. women’s runner in 2025 as well.

“I think top 10 is a non-negotiable for me at this point. I would really love to contend for the top American spot and keep my eyes on the top five,” she said in an interview after last year’s race.

Now in 2026, McClain has achieved her goal of a top-five finish.

She was top-10 at the 2025 World Championships.

In 2024, McClain just missed out on an Olympic marathon spot. At the U.S. trials, she finished fourth (only the top three qualified).

But in Tokyo last September at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, McClain once again showed she can rank with the world’s best.

Finishing eighth overall with a time of 2:29:20, McClain was the second-place U.S. runner that day behind Susanna Sullivan.

Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.

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