For most first-time marathon runners, the goal is simply to finish the race. But, American runner Emma Grace Hurley, did much more than that in her first-ever marathon in Chicago Sunday.

Hurley’s time of 2:20:47 broke the record for an American’s debut marathon, previously set by Fiona O’Keeffe at the 2024 Olympic trials with a time of 2:22:10.

While this was Hurley’s first official marathon, she is not a beginner to the world of running. She ran track at Furman University, graduating in 2020 during the pandemic. After graduation, she barely ran for over a year and began working in IT. She didn’t see herself as a professional runner, but everything changed when she began a coaching job at Marist School in Atlanta.

In November 2021, she began training with the Atlanta Track Club, and ever since, she has been competing at high-level races across the world.

So far this year, Hurley has racked up a number of accolades. In March, she placed 12th at the Half Marathon championships in Atlanta. In that race, the lead vehicle misguided some of the lead runners, including Hurley, potentially costing them medals.

That same month, she set an American record in the 8k road race at the Shamrock Shuffle 8k in Chicago with a time of 24:29.

Just last month, she competed at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, earning fifth place with a time of 1:06:23, helping the United States secure the silver. 

When running, she makes sure to try to give maximum effort while also finding joy in the sport.

“I found a formula that allows me to show up on race day and be myself, have fun and do the thing I love to the best of my ability,” Hurley said ahead of the Chicago Marathon.

“I found a formula that allows me to show up on race day and be myself, have fun and do the thing I love to the best of my ability.”

Emma Grace Hurley

Another factor of her success is her ability to not let the pressure get to her. Even though the media and the running community has been talking about this debut for a while, Hurley didn’t let that get in her head during the race.

She had a support system including her parents, extended family and her boyfriend show up to cheer her on.

“Letting go of the outcome allowed it to happen anyway while having much more fun along the way,” she wrote in an Instagram caption following the win.

In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times before the race, Hurley said she planned to try to remain relaxed during the first half and try to “dig deep” in the second half.

Her mindset and preparation allowed her to keep calm throughout and focus on what she does best, without worrying too much about the result.

Hurley’s journey demonstrates that progress isn’t linear. Her debut marathon serves as a reminder that success isn’t always demonstrated by a final time but also in trusting your training, embracing the process and remembering the joy in your sport.