17 Once in the city of love for the Summer Games, Popehn was focused and determined to make the most of her time prior to race day. She opted to stay outside of the Olympic Village and focus on her training and nutrition; however, that did not stop her from getting the full Olympic experience during the opening ceremonies. Popehn and her over 500 teammates from Team USA loaded the boat on the River Seine and did not let the rain dampen the experience. “Being on a boat with the best athletes in America was so special, especially when we would chant ‘USA USA USA’ together. Those moments were iconic,” described Popehn. For those wondering, Popehn did experience the viral Olympic chocolate muffins as well, but noted they were definitely more of a cupcake. The Olympic Marathon was slated for the last day of competition for the women, and Popehn took full advantage. Not only did she train throughout the city, but she also took cues from the men’s competition the day prior. Heading into race day, Popehn knew she needed to stay under a 5:40 mile and did just that. Popehn noted that when she took the lead around the corner by Versailles, she was a bit surprised, but that happened in large part because she stayed consistent to her game plan. She reminisced, “I turned that corner, took the lead, and I could hear the whole Midwest erupt.” Fans lined the streets throughout the race, and Popehn noted seeing quite a bit of red, white and blue. The U.S. fans showed up in full force and made the experience even more memorable. She ran to a 12th place finish and was the leading American, clocking in at 2:26.44. Popehn does not plan on slowing down as she eyes the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games with the next big stop on that journey being the 2025 New York City Marathon. Dakotah Popehn, of Team USA, was the top American finisher in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, taking 12th place with a time of 2:26:44. *Photos by Christian Petersen, Getty Images
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