In this episode of Hurdle, Emily sits down with professional ASICS runner Emma Grace Hurley, fresh off her record-breaking performance as the top American woman at the Chicago Marathon. Hurley shattered the American women’s marathon debut record with a stunning 2:20:47 finish.
Emma Grace shares the nontraditional trajectory of her running journey—from throwing discus and playing volleyball in middle school to navigating uncertainty as a pro athlete and relocating to Indianapolis to train under coach Andrew Begley. She reflects on the standout mindset that carried her through 26.2 miles with a genuine smile, how she embraces the power of resting and getting "unfit" between training blocks, the importance of running for a team, and her big dreams looking ahead toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Trials.
IN THIS EPISODE
From Multi-Sport Athlete to Distance Runner: How Emma Grace transitioned from field events, sprints, and volleyball to catching the distance running bug late in middle school and high school.
The Record-Breaking Marathon Debut: Breaking down her 2:20:47 debut at the Chicago Marathon, setting a goal to finish in the top 10, and why she smiled through the first half of the race.
Navigating Career Uncertainty: The anxiety and life lessons learned when her coaches moved, leading to her transition to Indianapolis and finding stability on and off the roads.
The Art of Intentional Recovery: Why resting, having quiet days between high-intensity workouts, and allowing herself to get "unfit" between blocks makes her stronger in the long run.
Advice from Distance Legends: Lessons taken from conversations with legends Joan Benoit Samuelson and Deena Kastor about finding your own path, training independently, and prioritizing rest.
Roads Over Track & Future Dreams: Why road racing suits her mindset better than track events, the power of running for a team, and looking toward LA 2028.
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
"God has had a plan since the beginning and everything has worked out ahead of me like exactly the way it's supposed to."
"Where my brain feels the most quiet is when I'm on a run... it's almost like the most restful time, at least mentally."
"I've never had so much fun. I feel like I smiled the whole first half, which is just kind of crazy."
"I'm not afraid to hurt, and I think that's a good life skill, too... it's a really applicable skill to be able to just hang in there and grind."
"What's 30 minutes of hurting in the grand scheme of things? It's not that bad... it is all temporary and it goes by, and then you're fine."
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