Heather MacLean
Birthday: 08/31/95 Mile PR: 4:20.41 - 2024
Metric Mile (1500m) PR: 3:58.31 - 2024
High School: Peabody Veteran Memorial HS '13
Hometown: Peabody, MA
College: University of Massachusetts '17
Current Residence: Boston, MA
Team: Team New Balance Boston
Heather MacLean, in late June at the 2024 Olympic Trials, finished 7th in 3:58.31, a PR, in the greatest U.S. women's 1500 ever, and later, finished a close second at the Guardian Mile, running 4:35 (4:34.79) and third at Sir Walter Miler in a PR 4:20.41, #9 U.S. woman all-time outdoors.
On her training track in a thrilling finish, she won the 2023 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Mile, setting a personal record of 4:23.42 (#8 U.S. all-time indoors) and edging Canadian Lucia Stafford (4:23.52) at the line.
In a blanket finish with Josette Norris and Elle Purrier St. Pierre, she won the 2022 USA Indoor 1500 meter title in 4:06.09, her first national crown. In March, she placed 7th in the 1500m at the World Indoor Championships. In August, she finished second in the Monaco Diamond League 1500m, setting a personal record of 3:58.89, and later in the month, won the NACAC Championship 1500m gold medal (4:04.53, event record).
On April 15, 2022 in Boston, Heather ran the first leg of the Distance Medley Relay team (1200 = 3:14.92, 400, 800, 1600) that shattered the indoor and absolute world record, clocking 10:33.85; previous WR 10:39.91.
On a warm evening at Hayward Field, she finished third at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials 1500m, running a 3-plus second personal record of 4:02.09 to qualify for her first Olympic team (Tokyo).
MacLean won the Blankenship Women’s Mile in 4:27.54 at the 2021 American Track League meet #2 and also the 1500 meters in 4:06.32 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.
At the 2020 NYRR Wanamaker Mile, she finished 6th, clocking a personal record of 4:25.98.
In 2019, MacLean was 7th at the USA Outdoor Championships 1500m, setting a personal record of 4:05.27.
In college at U-Mass, she earned 2017 All-American cross country honors (the school's first woman to do so), established records for 800 meters, 1000m, 1500m & Mile and also qualified for the NCAA Championships in track and cross country.
At Peabody Veteran Memorial High School, MacLean was a member of the All-State Champion cross country team and also set school records at 400, 600 and 800 meters as well as numerous relays.
FUN FACT: Heather was the first in her family to graduate from college.
FUN FACT II: She was a finalist for 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Photo credit: Kevin Morris