779. Erika Kemp, 2:22 Marathoner

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Run, Health & Fitness, Women, Inspiration, Runner, Entrepreneur, Sports, Fitness, Health, Running

4.9 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 23 January 2025

⏱️ 67 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"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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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Allie on the Run show. I'm your host, Ali Fellar, and on every episode, I talk with people who are doing exciting things on the run and beyond.
0:13.1	From professional athletes and celebrity runners to the everyday, amateur, and back of the pack runner, we are here to celebrate everyone and anyone who enjoys a life
0:23.4	on the run. Whether you are running towards something big or away from something that has been
0:28.1	holding you back, I am here to help you pick up the pace. My guest today is Erica Kemp,
0:34.7	fresh off that incredible performance at the Houston Marathon.
0:39.0	Erica made her marathon debut at the 2023 Boston Marathon.
0:42.7	Her second marathon was the 2024 Olympic trials where she had a tough day and ended up dropping out of the race.
0:49.6	So that brings us to Houston.
0:51.3	Officially Erica's second marathon.
0:54.0	This past weekend, one week before her 30th
0:56.7	birthday, Erica finished second. She ran two hours, 22 minutes, and 56 seconds. That is an 11-minute
1:05.3	personal best and comfortably under the world standard. And Erica remains the fastest American-born black woman
1:13.7	in the marathon. Erica lives in trains in Providence, Rhode Island. She is coached by Kurt Benninger,
1:20.4	also known as Molly Huddle's husband. And in this episode, she talks about what it took
1:25.6	to run that 11-minute personal best.
1:28.9	Please enjoy this conversation with Erica Kemp.
1:37.2	All right, she's back on the Alley on the Run show, and this time as a 222-56 marathoner Erica Kemp.
1:48.5	Congratulations.
1:49.9	Amazing run in Houston.
1:51.6	How are you feeling today?
1:53.7	Thanks for having me.
1:54.9	I'm feeling great.
	...

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