May 1, 1995)[3] is an American professional long-distance runner sponsored by Puma[4] who qualified to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

After graduating high school in 2013, Popehn started her collegiate running career at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

While competing for the Northern State Wolves, she was a five-time NCAA DII National Qualifier and a two time All-American.

[12] Her senior year, she and her teammate Sasha Hovind were the lone Wolves at the NCAA Division II cross country championships.

She joined the Minnesota Distance Elite team and gained professional entry into the 2018 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, where she finished 13th in 1:16:16.

[22] The Olympic 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.

[24] At the autumn running of the 2021 Boston Marathon, Popehn ran well through the first half to be one of only two American women in the lead pack.

[27][28][29] At the 2022 Boston Marathon, Popehn was featured as one of the top American women, along with Elaina Tabb, Stephanie Bruce, and Sara Vaughn.

During the race, she tied the fastest 5K split of all the female racers (along with 2018 winner Des Linden and Canadian Malindi Elmore).

After Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir won in a final sprint, Popehn finished as the 14th overall woman (and the fourth American) in 2:29:55.

She stood behind only five other uber-elite U.S. women: the new American marathon record-holder Emily Sisson; the three World Championship finishers Emma Bates, Sara Hall, and Keira D'Amato (who had broken the American record a few months before Sisson); and Gold Coast Marathon record-setter Lindsay Flanagan.

[39][40] Popehn voiced confidence going into the 2023 Boston Marathon, but acknowledge the historic depth of the assembled women's field.

In the final miles, Obiri broke ahead for the win, with many American runners following in personal record-setting times.

[42][43] She ran the 2023 USATF 25K Championships at the Amway River Bank Run, where she finished fourth in 1:25:58 after Betsy Saina, Keira D'Amato, and Jessa Hanson.

But a chase pack that included Lauren Hagans, Gabi Rooker, and Grace Kahura made gains after the half.

Popehn stayed in the mix with the top women and ended up running near fellow Minnesotans Gabi Rooker and Emma Bates.

[48] On Saturday, June 22, 2024 at the Garry 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.