Dakotah Marie Popehn[2] (formerlyLindwurm; néeBullen, b. May 1, 1995)[1] is an American professional long-distance runner sponsored byPuma[3] who qualified to represent the United States at the2024 Summer Olympics inParis,France.[4][5][6] Popehn gained widespread acclaim after winning back-to-back victories atGrandma's Marathon inDuluth, Minnesota in 2021 and 2022. Her victory in 2022 made her the 12th fastest U.S. women's marathoner of all time.[7][8]
From 2014 to 2016, she also raced and won the Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon, a grueling 26.2 miles course near the city ofDuluth, Minnesota, that follows southern segments of theSuperior Hiking Trail.[13]
Popehn continued improving, and by early 2019, she won a local 10-mile (the Hot Dash) in 56:08. She then won the Brian Kraft 5k in 16:21, which is one of the most competitive5Ks in the state. At the Get in Gear 10K on theMississippi River Roads, she battled to finish fourth in 33:42.[17]
Her success at Grandma's Marathon cemented Popehn as one of the best marathon runners in the US. Her time qualified her for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, and she vowed to return to Grandma's to attempt another win.[14]
Popehn then targeted the 2019Twin Cities Marathon. From 12 miles (19 km) until about 23 miles (37 km), she led the field. Popehn was passed byJulia Kohnen onSummit Avenue. Kohnen went on to win the race with a time was 2:31:29. Popehn finished second in 2:32:49, minutes ahead of third-place finisher,Heather Lieberg.[19][20][16]Popehn's motto is "I am strong. I am fast. My speed will last." and is first documented as having been written across Popehn's arm during the race.[21]
TheOlympic Trials race in Atlanta was a hilly course, and the day provided a strong wind that runners faced again and again on the looped route. Popehn finished 36th in 2:39:08.[22]
When Popehn returned to Grandma's Marathon in 2021, her career entered a new era. She won the race, in dominant fashion, with a time of 2:29:04. She became the first Minnesotan-born woman to win sinceJanice Ettle's 1991 victory. The sub-2:30 time caught the attention of the national running community. Among other accolades, she was named the female athlete of the year in South Dakota, where she resided at the time.[23]
At the autumn running of the2021 Boston Marathon, Popehn ran well through the first half to be one of only two American women in the lead pack. For a while, she led the pack as the others were waiting for someone to make a move. She dropped back as Colorado runnerNell Rojas kept moving withDiana Kipyokei and other Kenyan runners. Popehn finished 13th overall and was the third-place American woman in 2:31:04.[3][24][25] Her overall place improved to 12th after Kipyokei's win was vacated after she failed a doping test.[26][27][28]
At the2022 Boston Marathon, Popehn was featured as one of the top American women, along withElaina Tabb,Stephanie Bruce, andSara Vaughn.[29][30] She looked again to place high and improve her time. During the race, she tied the fastest 5K split of all the female racers (along with 2018 winnerDes Linden and CanadianMalindi Elmore).[31] She was becoming familiar with the hills and finished a minute faster than her previous finish. After KenyanPeres Jepchirchir won in a final sprint, Popehn finished as the 14th overall woman (and the fourth American) in 2:29:55.
Popehn after winning the 2022 Grandma's Marathon.Dakotah Popehn’s signature on a Puma race top she wore when she won Grandma's Marathon in 2022
In the summer of 2022, Popehn took a second victory at Grandma's Marathon. Her winning time was a new marathonpersonal record of 2:25:01, narrowly missing the all-time course record.[32]
As the Boston organizers announced their 2023 field, Popehn was again listed as one of the top American contenders.[34][35] The announcement wasn't a surprise, in 2022, she was one of only 10 U.S. women who had run the new Olympic standard time for women's marathon (2:26:50).[36]
On March 19, 2023, she placed sixth in the New York City Half Marathon, four seconds behindDes Linden. The race was won byHellen Obiri.[38][39]
Popehn voiced confidence going into the2023 Boston Marathon, but acknowledge the historic depth of the assembled women's field.[40] The women's race unfolded tactically. A large pack ran together during the first 5K, then splintered some at the 10K. In the final miles,Obiri broke ahead for the win, with many American runners following in personal record-setting times.Emma Bates finished in 2:22:10—for fifth place,Aliphine Tuliamuk andNell Rojas both ran under 2:25 for PRs. Popehn's pace slowed as the race stretched out; she finished in 2:33:53 for 26th.[41][42]
At the June running ofGrandma's Marathon, Popehn led most of the way. But a chase pack that includedLauren Hagans,Gabi Rooker, andGrace Kahura made gains after the half. Hagans caught Popehn after running behind her for a half mile, then passed her to take the win in her debut marathon. Popehn finished second in 2:26:56.
On Saturday, June 22, 2024, at theGarry Bjorklund Half Marathon, after spending several hours signing autographs for fans the previous day, Dakotah achieved a PR Half Marathon with a time of 1:08:03, finishing in 2nd place just after the winner, and Puma teammate,Annie Frisbie. Both women broke the previous women's course record.[48]
On Friday, June 21, 2024, Dakotah greets and signs autographs for fans lined up at the expo the day before the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and Grandma's Marathon.
She competed in the 2024 Paris OlympicsWomen's marathon on August 11, 2024, finishing in 12th place with a time of 2:26:44.[49]
Popehn competed in the 2024New York City Marathon on November 3, 2024, finishing in 17th place.[50] Popehn led the race briefly in the early miles.[51]
^"Dakotah Lindwurm". Monaco: World Athletics. 2022.Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. RetrievedOctober 9, 2022.
^Ken Young; Andy Milroy, eds. (2018)."Dakotah Bullen". Mattole Valley, California: Association of Road Racing Statisticians.Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. RetrievedNovember 1, 2022.
^Heide, Jonathon (June 2022)."Cool Runnings".Run Minnesota Magazine. Run Minnesota.Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. RetrievedNovember 1, 2022.
^"Dakotah Lindwurm".minnesotadistanceelite.com. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minnesota Distance Elite. 2022.Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. RetrievedOctober 9, 2022.
^"Icebreakers roll to 5-0 win in Trot; Sartell, St. Francis tie". Sports.St. Cloud Times. St. Cloud, Minnesota: USA Today. November 27, 2010. p. 4D.
^Mather, Carolyn (June 23, 2019)."Rojas Takes Grandma's Marathon Title". Race Coverage.Runner's Gazette. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2023.
^Shaughnessy, Mike (October 10, 2019)."Lindwurm is TCM runner-up".The Sun Thisweek. Apple Valley, Minnesota: APG of East Central Minnesota.Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 16, 2023.
^Hodowanic, Paul (October 7, 2019). "Running - Twin Cities Marathon - Local runners star in Twin Cities Marathon - St. Francis native Lindwurm second in women's race;St. Paul's Dochertythird among men".Saint Paul Pioneer Press.
^Kemp, Erika; Skenderian, TK (April 2022)."Boston Marathon Fan Fest: Top American Women". 31 minutes 16 seconds. Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Athletic Association.Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. RetrievedNovember 10, 2022 – via Vimeo.
^Egan, Gwen (April 18, 2022)."Boston Marathon by the Numbers".Boston.com. Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Globe.Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. RetrievedNovember 10, 2022.
^Pepper, Cole; Brantley, Keith (March 4, 2023)."2023 Gate River Run Race Day Special".WJXT-TV. 1 hour 57 minutes 50 seconds. Jacksonville, Florida: posted by News4JAX The Local Station as '2023 Gate River Run Full Broadcast' (published March 7, 2023). Graham Media Group. Archived fromthe original on March 13, 2023. RetrievedMarch 13, 2023 – via YouTube.
^Chavez, Chris; Merber, Kyle; Masters, Sara; Murray, Declan (October 8, 2023)."Chicago Marathon Watch Party: Live from Bandit Running".Citius Mag. 2 hours 48 minutes 42 seconds. New York City, New York: Streamed live from Chicago, commenting on coverage provided by WMAQ-TV (NBC).Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. RetrievedOctober 11, 2023 – via YouTube.
^Mather, Carolyn (April 16, 2023)."Dakota Lindwurm: A Talent to be Watched". Interviews.runblogrun.com. Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin: Fortius Media Group.Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. RetrievedSeptember 14, 2023.
^Wellens, Matt (June 21, 2023). "First time's THE CHARM for Lauren Hagans - Rookie marathoner chases down defending champion Lindwurm to win women's race".Duluth News-Tribune.
^Aldam, Will (September 4, 2023). "Clayton Young wins 2023 New Haven Road 20K national championship with photo finish over Conner Mantz".New Haven Register.
^"Local Leaderboard: Gate River Run".Florida Times-Union. March 6, 2023.
^Blount, Rachel (April 18, 2023). "Elk River runner near top in Boston - Bates is top U.S. woman finisher in the marathon".Minnesota Star Tribune.
^Nowacki, John (June 19, 2022). "LINDWURM'S 'BEST DAY EVER' - Eagan native brings another Grandma's Marathon title home".Duluth News-Tribune.
^Nowacki, Jon (June 23, 2021). "MINNESOTA MADE - Lindwurm brings Grandma's Marathon title home to the Gopher State".Duluth News-Tribune.
^"2021 Gate River Run results".Florida Times-Union. March 22, 2021.
^Niles, Jacque (March 1, 2020). "Former Northern standout Dakota Lindwurm 36th in U.S. Olympic marathon trials".American News (Aberdeen, South Dakota).
^"HOUSTON MARATHON; Results".Houston Chronicle. January 20, 2020.
