In 2020, COVID-19 affected athletes’ lives in unexpected ways. For middle- and long-distance runner Jessica McClain, the mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic made her take a step back from running. “It became really tough to only have running,” confessed the athlete. However, within four years, the American didn’t just make it as an Olympic alternate; she’ll now explore a new horizon with the New York Marathon.
What was most remarkable about the runner’s rise in 2024 was the time she put behind self-coaching. After her break from full-time running post-pandemic, Jessica McClain integrated running into her life and not the other way around. “It’s not so much fitting my life around running anymore,” the athlete told The Stanford Daily after finishing fourth during the Olympic Marathon trials.
“I think it’s cool to show people that doing it your way is…
