779. Erika Kemp, 2:22 Marathoner

"Kurt's seen it and my teammates have seen it. I've gotten better every single week for two years straight. So the world is seeing this massive jump, but for me, it's over 100 weeks of improvement. That's super steady. At some point it was going to be reflected in one big performance. It didn't happen overnight."

In March 2023, Erika Kemp was gearing up to make her marathon debut. The six-time collegiate All-American and multiple-time USATF national champion was on a racing hot streak, having earned titles from the 5K up to the 20K. She had just signed with Brooks Running, and was being coached by Kurt Benninger. But, Erika insisted, she hadn't had her big, breakout, career-defining performance yet.

That changed this past weekend at the Houston Marathon. Erika finished second in 2:22:56 — and 11-minute personal best, and comfortably under the world standard. She remains the fastest American-born Black woman in the marathon. In this conversation, Erika talks about her breakout day in Houston, and about what it took to make such a massive improvement in the marathon. Plus, the advice and affirmation Erika got from Des Linden before the race, her snapshot moment from the day, and how she learned to embrace the "marathoner" title.

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In this episode:

• How Erika is feeling after Houston (1:50)
• "Erika Kemp, Marathoner" (4:30)
• Erika's snapshot moment from the 2025 Houston Marathon (5:10)
• Erika's time goals for Houston (8:00)
• How Erika has learned to trust herself on race day, and the advice she got from Des Linden before Houston (10:50)
• How Erika recovered physically and mentally after a DNF at the Olympic Marathon Trials last year (15:10)
• Why Houston? (17:10)
• Erika's takeaways from her Houston training (18:00)
• How Erika knew Houston was going to be her day (30:15)
• Why Erika ran the race with her friend, Jonas Hampton (34:50)
• What Erika eats the night before a marathon, and what her morning routine is like (38:00)
• What Erika was hoping to get out of Houston (43:00)
• What it felt like standing on the start line (45:40)
• Erika recaps her Houston Marathon experience (46:45)
• How Erika celebrated (57:30)
• A look at Erika's 2025 racing calendar (1:01:45)

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