'A surreal moment' – McColgan breaks Scottish record in London debut
Speaking to the BBC after the race, McColgan admitted to feeling nervous before stepping onto the starting line, noting the marathon distance was a completely unknown territory for her.
'I was very, very nervous,' she said. 'It was probably the most nervous I've ever been for any event just purely because the distance was a complete unknown. I've never raced further than a half-marathon so the thought of doing it back to back was a little bit scary.'
However, McColgan's nerves quickly turned into awe as she soaked in the support from the London crowd.
'But the crowd today is hard to put into words. Unless you are out there and you experience it, like, it is insane,' she added, praising the atmosphere that propelled her through the grueling 26.2-mile course.
Read more:
Despite a tough race that saw her battling fatigue earlier than expected, McColgan managed to cross the finish line with a new personal best – and a record-breaking achievement for Scotland. Her time not only shattered her own expectations but also surpassed her mother Liz McColgan's personal best, cementing a powerful family legacy in marathon running.
Reflecting on her achievement, McColgan shared: "If you asked me right after the race I would've said 'absolutely not' [about doing another marathon] but it was just an incredible experience. I knew my first one was always going to be tough and I always knew I was coming into it a little bit perhaps underprepared compared to 2023. But I didn't make the start line in 2023, so that was my main priority... make it to the start line, make it to the finish, that was the first goal and I achieved that."
Having ticked off that crucial first milestone, McColgan took immense pride in calling herself a 'marathoner' for the first time. "I can now call myself a marathoner, which I'm incredibly proud of," she said. "It got tough out there a little bit earlier than I would have liked, but it was a really good learning experience."
One of McColgan's most meaningful moments came with the achievement of breaking her mother's marathon personal best. Liz McColgan, a former world champion, is one of the icons of British athletics, and for Eilish to surpass her mother's mark was a special milestone.
'Every time I run I feel like I'm doing it for my family and my mum. I wouldn't be here without her,' she said. "It's just cool. It's obviously a completely different generation from her time, she was using flat coke or whatever to fuel her to the end, I have super shoes, gels, and all sorts of stuff going on in my corner. But it's really special and a pretty surreal moment."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
24 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Craig Gordon calls on Hearts to embrace 'new era' as he recalls Sunderland memories and famous save
The Hearts goalkeeper believes Derek McInnes can breath new life into Tynecastle. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Craig Gordon believes new Hearts head coach Derek McInnes will breathe new life into Tynecastle next season, heralding his arrival as an 'exciting new era' for the club. The 42-year-old goalkeeper is entering his 20th year as a professional after he agreed a one year extension with at Tynecastle last month, but admits he won't do much resting this summer as he gears up for the return of the competitive football, starting with a Premier Sports Cup tie against Dunfermline Athletic on July 12. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'm very proud and privileged to have had such a long career,' said Gordon. 'So many highs along the way. Making my debut at Hearts, joining the club as a youngster. It was 1999 the first year I came in here, right through to winning the Scottish Cup to leaving to go to Sunderland and playing in the Premier League, and testing yourself against the best players, then coming back to - first of all Celtic - Hearts. It has been some journey. Craig Gordon thwarts then-Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez during his time at Sunderland. | AFP via Getty Images 'I don't think I'll be relaxing too much on holiday. Next season is already on my mind. I'm still doing plenty of work during the summer to make sure I come back as ready as I can be, and to fight to get as many appearances as I can again. I'm really looking forward to pre-season, it's an exciting period, we are right at the new era of Hearts.' The veteran Scotland stopper has been awarded a testimonial at Tynecastle this season, with the club announcing that a pre-season friendly clash with Gordon's former club Sunderland will kick-off a series of events aimed at celebrating the Hearts icon's impressive career. Once the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of British football, Gordon still remembers the time he first left Gorgie in order to complete a £9million transfer to Sunderland. Signing for the Black Cats in the summer of 2007, he still heralded on Wearside for a jaw-dropping reaction save against Bolton Wanderers that was voted the English Premier League's greatest of all time. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad His testimonial game against the Black Cats now just around the corner, Gordon admits his time his big money move to England was far from easy. Detailing the pressures that came with his record-breaking at the age of just 24, he admits his famous save against the Trotters is one he looks back on fondly. 'That was my first move,' said Gordon. 'I'd been here [Hearts] since I was 12, I had came through the youth system. Seven or eight seasons on from going through the under-18s, the first-team, I'd always been at once place. Now I'm a couple of hours down the road, everything is different, the training ground is different. People are different. 'The travel to away grounds is much further. Everything changed in a matter of days, that is going to take some getting used to, whether you're coming from the other side of the world or a couple of hours away. It probably took me a little while to get used to everything, and the club. Once I did though, it was somewhere I really felt at home. 'Yeah, it was a fantastic save [vs Bolton]. At the time, I'm probably not entirely sure how I've managed to make it. I remember the corner going to the back post - I've obviously watched it a few times since. It gets knocked back into the six yard line, my initial reaction was 'oh, this is a goal', but I need to make an effort and show that I am trying to keep this out. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'As I turned and made my dive, I've realised it is still within my reach. I've swung my left hand at it, and luckily for me it sort of rolled up my left thumb, I got some spin on the ball which managed to take it up and over the bar from almost on the goal line. I'm not entirely sure how I managed to do that, but sometimes you get a little bit of luck along with a great reaction. It is something I am still very proud of.' Craig Gordon is entering his 20th season as a professional at Tynecastle this coming season. | SNS Group The 42-year-old still holds affection for the Wearsiders, having spent five seasons at the Stadium of Light, and was delighted to see them win promotion back to the English Premier League last month. While it was Tommy Watson's 95th minute goal that sealed their 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the EFL Championship playoff final, Gordon reserved his praise for Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson ahead his two crucial saves at Wembley.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Murray leaves door open to coaching return
June 10 (Reuters) - Former world number one Andy Murray has left the door open to a coaching return after his short stint with Novak Djokovic ended without a trophy, but the Scot said he did not expect to be working with another player anytime soon. Serb Djokovic appointed Murray ahead of this year's Australian Open and said at the Qatar Open in February they would continue working together for an indefinite period. However, the 24-times Grand Slam champion then endured a woeful run of form and the pair parted ways last month ahead of the French Open. "I would do it again at some stage. I don't think that will happen immediately," Murray told the BBC on Monday. "I wasn't planning on going into coaching as soon as I finished playing but it was a pretty unique opportunity. "It was a chance to learn from one of the best athletes of all time. You also learn a lot about how to work with a team. "You're working with a physio, physical trainers, agents, and you need to know how to get your message across to the player and find out what makes them tick. "That was the thing I learned and something I need to work on if I want to do it again in the future," added Murray. Though they won no titles in their six-month partnership, Murray said he had good memories of his time working with former rival Djokovic. "It was a brilliant opportunity for me. We got to spend some really nice moments away from the court," the three-times Grand Slam champion added. "Results weren't as we wanted but we gave it a go. We'll see about coaching in the future but I don't think that will happen for a while."
South Wales Guardian
4 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight
Cardiff-born Boston, 90, blazed a trail for black sports stars during the 1950s and 1960s, making 488 appearances for Wigan and finishing his career with a British record 571 tries to his name. He also became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances in Australia and New Zealand, and featuring in a total of 31 international Test matches. 🫡 Arise Sir Billy Boston! 👏 Officially Rugby League's first Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire… — Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) June 9, 2025 Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Billy Boston's knighthood is a historic milestone providing fitting recognition for the greatest player rugby league has ever seen. 'As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our town, for the Welsh nation, for rugby league fans across the country and, most importantly, for Billy and his family. 'The first knighthood for a rugby league player is long overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. This is the moment we right a historic wrong.' 👏 Everybody at Wigan Warriors is filled with joy that Billy Boston will be made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). Congratulations, Sir William John Boston KBE.#WWRL — Wigan Warriors 🍒⚪️ (@WiganWarriorsRL) June 9, 2025 Boston made a try-scoring debut for Wigan against Barrow in November 1953, and by the time he left the club in 1968, he had played in six Challenge Cup finals at Wembley, featuring on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965. Wigan owner Mike Danson said he was 'thrilled' by Boston's award, describing it as 'a richly deserved honour which means this most humble of men rightly receives, at last, fitting recognition for his extraordinary efforts'. Boston's honour followed a sustained campaign by local councillors and MPs as well as leading figures in the sport, who have frequently pointed out the relative lack of recognition for rugby league compared to union, which has seen 20 knights anointed. Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said: 'On behalf of the Rugby Football League, and the sport of rugby league, it is a privilege to congratulate Sir Billy Boston on his knighthood. 'Sir Billy deserves to be recognised as an iconic figure in the history of British sport, for the way he overcame prejudice in his journey from working-class Cardiff to legendary status in Wigan, and became the most prolific British try-scorer in the 130-year history of rugby league.' The full King's Birthday Honours list is set to be announced later this week. It is understood Boston's award was brought forward due to concerns about his health.
