In this episode of Relay, host Lindsey Hein introduces the newest member of the Relay team: Erika Kemp. Erika is an accomplished professional distance runner for Brooks, a 2:22 marathoner, and a two-time U.S. champion. She made headlines in her debut marathon at Boston in 2023, running the fastest time ever recorded by an American-born Black woman.

Since then, she’s dropped over ten minutes off her PR, running 2:22 at the 2025 Houston Marathon, and most recently earned a spot on Team USA for the World Championships in the marathon. Erika will line up this September alongside Brooks teammates Susanna Sullivan and Jess Tonn, who is replacing Betsy Saina following her pregnancy announcement.

In this conversation, Lindsey and Erika catch listeners up on Erika’s recent career milestones, her current training in Rhode Island under coach Kurt Benninger, and what’s ahead. Erika also shares her passion for representation in the sport and her commitment to mentoring young runners.

We're thrilled to have Erika joining the Relay podcast as a regular co-host. She’ll be part of the Monday crew, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday. This conversation is your chance to get to know her a little better and hear her perspective heading into an exciting summer.

A quick note: the audio quality in this one isn’t perfect due to a technical issue during recording. There’s a bit of crackle in Lindsey’s mic, but the conversation is still worth the listen.

Enjoy this introduction to Erika Kemp—Relay’s newest voice on the mic.