Eilish McColgan Aims to Break Mum's Record

Eilish McColgan, the 33-year-old runner from Dundee, is preparing to run her first marathon and hopes to finally surpass one of her mum's impressive records. While Eilish may not have achieved the same level of success as her mother and coach, Liz, who boasts Olympic and world medals, she has consistently run faster times across various distances, ranging from 1500 meters to the half marathon.

Marathon Dreams and Recovery from Spinal Surgery

Eilish had initially planned to compete in the London Marathon in April, but a knee injury forced her to withdraw. Her focus now lies on the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she hopes to participate in either the 10,000 meters or the marathon. However, her ability to compete will depend on her recovery from spinal surgery, which she underwent in August. If the Paris Olympics are not feasible, she will consider running in one of the Berlin, Chicago, or New York marathons later in the year.

Breaking Records and Following in Her Mother's Footsteps

Eilish McColgan has already broken all of her mother's Scottish records in distances such as 1500 meters, 3,000 meters, 5k, 10k, and road races. The only record that remains is her mother's marathon time. Despite the friendly competition, Eilish attributes her success to her mother's influence and support. She believes that jumping into the marathon will be a challenging endeavor but is determined to prove herself.

A Remarkable Journey and Overcoming Challenges

Liz McColgan, Eilish's mother, is a decorated athlete who won silver in the 1998 Olympics in the 10,000 meters and ran a personal best marathon time of 2:26:52 in London in 1997. Eilish acknowledges that her mother's accomplishments have set a high standard for her to follow, and she has faced challenges in dealing with the pressure of the family name. However, Eilish's talent and determination make it clear that she is her mother's daughter.

Family Tragedy and Quality Time

In the midst of her running journey, Eilish McColgan recently attended the funeral of her stepfather, John Nuttall, who tragically passed away from a heart attack. Eilish reflects on the importance of spending quality time with her family, especially during her recovery from injury.

Source: Eilish McColgan: Running in the family, BBC Scotland, Thursday, 10pm