Jess McClain accidentally runs off course while while leading late at U.S. Half Marathon Championships, finishes 9th

Ryan Young Sun, March 1, 2026 at 8:36 PM UTC

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Jess McClain, seen here at the Boston Marathon last spring, was well in the lead with less than two miles to go at the U.S. half marathon championship on Sunday. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jess McClain thought she had an easy finish ahead of her at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships on Sunday in Atlanta. She was well ahead of the pack, and nobody was behind her with less than two miles to go on the course.

But quickly, McClain realized that nobody was in front of her, either. She had accidentally followed the lead bike off the course completely.

By the time McClain had turned around, got back on the course and made it to the finish line, she was in ninth. Molly Born, who was more than a minute off of McClain’s pace before the blunder, ended up winning the national championship with a time of 69 minutes, 43 seconds.

McClain finished with a time of 1:11.27. Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat also made the mistake and left the course briefly. Hurley and Kurgat finished in 12th and 13th, respectively.

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The three runners immediately filed protests and appeals to USA Track & Field, but both were denied.

“The event did not meet USATF Rule 243 and that the course was not adequately marked at the point of misdirection,” USATF said in a statement, via The Athletic. “This violation contributed to the misdirection taken by the athletes within the top four at the time of misdirection. However, the jury of appeals finds no recourse within the USATF rulebook to alter the results order of finish. The results order of finish as posted is considered final.”

Had she held on to win, McClain would have claimed her first national championship. That would have earned her a $20,000 payout and a trip to the world championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

McClain finished in eighth in the world championship marathon event last year. The 34-year-old finished in fourth in the half-marathon national title in 2025, too. It’s unclear what happened specifically when the lead bike left the course on Sunday, but the rules state that runners are responsible for knowing the course ahead of time.

Though McClain did not earn an automatic spot in the world championship race, a spot there is still possible.

“This race was a selection event for the 2026 World Road Running Championships,” USATF said in a statement. “That team is not officially selected until May. USATF will review the events from Atlanta carefully. While we understand athletes are eager to resolve this issue expeditiously, our process will ensure an ultimate decision is in the best interest of all the athletes involved.”

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Source: “AOL Sports”