Dot McMahan: Running, Track & Field

McMahan is a mother, marathoner and Olympic Trials qualifier.

McMahan started running at age 6. While attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee she focused on the 800m. In 2005, McMahan joined the Hansons/Brooks Project in Michigan.

McMahan ran her marathon personal best at the 2008 Olympic Trials. There, she finished an impressive 8th overall with a time of 2:35:02. In 2009, she stepped away from running while pregnant with her first child.

She hit the roads again in 2010 to build up for the Chicago Marathon. She finished the race 17th overall with a time of 2:36:01. McMahan also competed in the USA 25k Championships where she placed 3rd and the Bellin 10k where she was second overall.

McMahan came back stronger in 2011. She bettered her place in the USA 25k Championships, finishing 3rd. Deciding to give teh marathon another try, she toed the line at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth. There, she finished 3rd with a personal best of 2:31:48. At the Crim 10mi, McMahan finished 5th. She placed 9th at the USA 10mi Championships and 10th at the ING Rock 'n' Roll Half (1:12:57) before the year was over.

McMahan returned to the Chicago Marathon in 2012. She finished an impressive 9th (2:32:11) and was the second American woman to finish. She explained, "I feel like breaking into the top 10 here in Chicago is making a little bit of history for yourself and getting your name in the record books. At my age of 35 that kind of stuff is important to me."

At the 2012 Olympic Trials, McMahan finished the 26.2mi course in 2:32:16 with a 9th place finish.