Marathon Running Podcast by Marathon Journal

In this episode of The Marathon Running Podcast, I sit down with U.S. Olympian and elite distance runner Dakotah Popehn fresh off her second-place American finish at the Chicago Marathon.

We dive deep into the real-time dynamics of race day, from managing 60-degree heat and hamstring nerve impingement at mile 21 to working dynamically with her Puma teammate and pacer, Rory Linkletter. Dakotah breaks down the exact mental grounding techniques she uses when a race gets dark, sharing how staying in the present moment gets her through the hardest miles.

I also share my own Chicago Marathon recap from the course, breaking down what it was like to navigate unseasonably warm weather, the massive spectator energy, and the mechanics of handling hydration at speed. Plus, we explore Chicago’s major sustainability push on course—examining the shift toward cupless refill stations with Culligan and HydraPak, the reality of cup-handling dynamics at high volumes, and how major marathons are tackling waste reduction.

Beyond the roads, Dakotah gives us an inside look at her upcoming memoir, You Think This Hurts. We talk candidly about her journey through early-life adversity, family divorce, and how running became a way to choose her own pain to process life’s uncontrollable challenges. Plus, she shares her perspective on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and what lies ahead for her training.