Eilish McColgan was delighted to return to the start line of the London Marathon after injury, and the European 10km record holder now comes into the event from a strong position.
Elish McColgan admits she wondered if her life as an elite athlete was over. After a medal-filled year he will never forget in 2022, which brought Commonwealth 10,000m gold and 5000m silver, plus European 10,000m silver and 5000m bronze, 2023 looked like swimming.
First the British 10,000m record (30:00.86) was achieved in March before a switch of paths brought the national half marathon mark (65:43) in Berlin the following month.
However, those were to be his only two races that year. A knee injury meant no marathon debut in London, no world championships in Budapest and no running at all for months after surgery.
He returned to reach his fourth Olympics in Paris and became a marathon runner last year when he finished as the first Briton home when he broke the Scottish record in 2:24:25 despite suffering from cramp. However, it wasn’t until last fall, when she finished third in the Great North Run, that she started to feel her body start to come back to full strength.
If any other sign was needed, his European record 30:08 10km run in Valencia earlier this month certainly provided it.
McColgan’s confidence levels are soaring and he is part of a strong British field announced for this year’s London Marathon. The 35-year-old girl’s ambitions this time are much higher than for herself and the outside world.
“You start asking. “Can I come back?” he said during the London Marathon media call. “Time flies so fast. Then the natural instinct is to start thinking.
“It also doesn’t help when those outside voices agree with it. They almost feed it, saying: “He is very old. He’s over it. There’s no way he’ll be back to his best.” But there was always something inside of me that told me I could do it.
“Obviously, it was a nice feeling to know that I’m not old, I’m not going to be thrown out at the recycling tip anytime soon.”
McColgan admits that he was in a hurry to return to the Olympics and then to London. he was only able to muster one 20-mile run, but he wouldn’t change a thing.
“I was desperate to go to the Olympics, even though it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do,” he said. “I tried to pursue fitness for the Olympics, and then the same way I had to be in London last year, I couldn’t miss another London marathon. Mentally, it was really important for me to be there on the starting line, finish it and know I can do it.”
Now it’s excitement rather than anxiety that he feels about this marathon mission. McColgan was one of three British athletes who made their debut last year to record British top 10 times, with Abbey Donnelly clocking 2:24:11 in Frankfurt and Jess Warner-Judd 2:24:45 in New York, where she finished seventh. All will compete on April 26 in London.
“For the last few years I’ve been competing and training but not at 100 per cent, so it’s good now that I’m working at 100 per cent and I’m reaping the benefits.”
McColgan is enjoying every moment of this phase of a long career that hasn’t necessarily gone in the direction he hoped.
“Honestly, I would never have imagined that I would still be here today, but also that I would be running the marathon before going back to London 2012. I just never thought it would be the path I took.
“Everyone told me when I was little, including my mother, that one day I would run a marathon, but I just thought, “No way, I’m so far from it, not just physically, but mentally too.” It felt like a completely distant, alien world that I would never actually end up in.
“But it’s something I’m really proud of and I think that’s why I’m so vocal now for young female athletes coming in to make sure they’re looking after themselves properly, because I think it makes a big difference.
“I’ve always been a good eater. I’ve never had a problem with that side. I have always eaten right. I always knew its importance around the menstrual cycle. Growing up, Mom and Dad played sports and understood the energy demands of running. of them.”
Despite focusing more on the roads, the defense of his Commonwealth title in Glasgow in July is very much on McColgan’s calendar, although that will depend on how well he recovers from his exploits in London.
“At the end of the day, if I’m not ready, I’m not going to take the risk,” he said. “I’m not going to show up just to make up numbers. I’ll show up if I think I can be very, very competitive for those medals.”
But it’s the marathon that takes center stage. That Scottish record was beaten by her mother and former London winner Lizzie’s PB last year, but Eilish is aiming to go even faster.
“Deep down I’d like to break 2:20. That’s a huge barrier. There aren’t many European women, or even American women, who have ever been under 2:20, so that seems like a bit of a hurdle. In the UK, I don’t think it will be too long before someone does. could be very, very good.”
Despite suffering around 17 miles last year, London left an indelible mark on McColgan, so the thought of being able to attack the event from a position of strength this time around is highly relished. He discovered there was something different about road running, especially on that route.
“London was beyond anything I’ve ever experienced before,” he said. “From start to finish, people are just screaming your name. I have never, ever had anything like this. It’s much more intimate than the racetrack. The co-op games were really cool.
“When you’re actually running down the road, you hear people saying ‘Eilish’ or ‘McColgan’ or ‘Scotland’ or ‘Go Liz.’ I get my mom’s name all the time and it makes you smile. It’s a smile every time. Even someone shouts something, e.g. takes you and it’s amazing how much it can lift you up.
“Last year, if that marathon attempt had been anywhere else in the world, I think I would have struggled to get to the finish line, but the buzz in London didn’t allow it. They say the crowd gets you to the finish line, and I honestly felt that way about London.”
2026 TCS London Marathon. British women’s participation list.
(Personal bests in parentheses)
Charlotte Perdue (2:22:17)
Rose Harvey (2:23:21)
Abby Donnelly (2:24:11)
Elish McColgan (2:24:25)
Jessica Warner-Judd (2:24:45)
Lucy Reid (2:26:35)
Louise Small (2:27:48)
Alice Wright (2:28:48)
Verity Hopkins (2:31:19)
