Written by Brendan D’Amico, Emily Nicholas, Elizabeth Padva, and Sydney Sweigart
Who is Jessica MacDougall?
Jessica MacDougall is a behavior analyst and a devoted mom to two high school boys. Outside of work and parenting, she enjoys baking, cooking, and unwinding with Netflix. Her running journey began in 2010, when her kids were still babies. Initially, running was simply a way to carve out some peace and quiet, a moment to ease anxiety aside from the chaos of motherhood and a full-time job. Over the next three years, Jessica continued to run casually, treating it as a relaxing hobby. She started with a few miles a couple of times a week, gradually increasing her distance as she built confidence and endurance. What began as a small escape soon transformed into a true passion.
Running at a Competitive Level
In 2014, Jessica decided to challenge herself by signing up for the New Jersey Half Marathon. What began as a fun personal goal quickly turned into a passion for pushing her limits. With little training structure at the time, she completed her first half marathon in 2015, a milestone that ignited her drive to compete more seriously.
Since then, Jessica’s race timeline has been nothing short of impressive:
There are six World Marathon Majors, which include Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City, and Jessica has made it her long-term mission to complete them all. If you are interested in learning more about the Majors, check out the official Olympics website! So far, she’s conquered New York City and Chicago, with Boston next on the list. Over the years, she’s developed a disciplined training regimen that includes strategic workouts, nutrition planning, and even specialized gear, all fine-tuned to help her perform at her best on race day.
Daily Nutrition and Training:
Jessica’s marathon training kicks off about 4 months before race day. Her weeks follow a steady rhythm with strength or swim sessions on Mondays, speed or hill work on Tuesdays, and flexible midweek runs or cross-training depending on how she feels. Thursdays bring longer runs,
Fridays are rest days, and Saturdays are dedicated to long group runs that can stretch up to 20 miles. After that final 20-miler, she begins to ease back so her legs are fresh for race day.
Nutrition is just as crucial as the miles. Jessica stays hydrated and focuses on balanced meals with plenty of carbs and protein. A few days before a long run, she cuts back on high-fiber foods and increases carbs for fuel. On race mornings, she keeps it simple with an English muffin and peanut butter or a bagel with butter, plus half a banana and cranberry juice. During races, she refuels every few miles with gel blocks and hydrates with water or Nuun tablets. After crossing the finish line, she snacks lightly and focuses on recovery. To learn more tips and tricks to jumpstarting your marathon training, visit Nike’s Marathon Training Plan!
Competing with Purpose
| Jessica combines her passion for running with giving back, partnering with charities like St. Jude, LuMind IDSC, Team Imerman Angels, and the Kenyan Kids Foundation to raise money and awareness. In June 2025, while at her son’s lacrosse tournament, Jessica stumbled upon a Wears Woody pop-up and met Mike, the founder. When she learned the brand donates a portion of sales to diabetes research, the connection was instant. Jokingly, she asked if they sponsored runners and Mike replied, “No, but that’s a great idea!” That conversation led to Jessica becoming Wears Woody's first marathon athlete. |
Mike, Mike and Jess |
Now an official Wears Woody Athlete, Jessica has collaborated with the brand to launch her custom capsule store. Jessica now proudly represents Wears Woody in both her professional running career and personal life. She loves wearing WW clothing on runs and while training, and you can find some of her favorite items on their website.
Jessica’s journey is truly inspiring, a testament to perseverance and self-discipline. She pushes herself and others to reach new heights and break limits. By sharing her story, Jessica shows how dedication and high standards can lead to remarkable achievements. Her adventure with marathons and Wears Woody is just beginning, so stay tuned to see what she conquers next!
Support Jessica's Journey
- Every purchase from Jess MacDougall's Custom Wears Woody Capsule supports her Boston Marathon charity, the Kenyan Kids Foundation.
- Donate directly to her charity, Kenyan Kids Foundation, on GivenGain.