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Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Dumfries father and son raise more than £4,000 for MND Scotland through marathon challenge
Michael Cole, who has motor neurone disease, was pushed round the Edinburgh Marathon in a special sports wheelchair by son Andrew. A father and son raised more than £4,000 for charity through a marathon challenge. Michael Cole was pushed round the Edinburgh Marathon in a special sports wheelchair by son Andrew on Sunday to raise money for MND Scotland. Michael, who is originally from Dumfries, was a keen runner, swimmer and cyclist before being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in November 2022. Despite the weather, the pair completed Sunday's race in less than four hours – but more importantly raised more than £4,600 for MND Scotland. Michael, 73, said: 'The crowds were amazing, there were tens of thousands of them along much of the course. Because we were wearing MND Scotland T-shirts and our numbers had our names on them we received endless cheers. 'I felt terrible because poor Andrew was grafting away doing all the hard work, I just sat there hoping we didn't crash! 'Thankfully he was cheered on and congratulated by many hundreds of our fellow runners. 'He ran a fantastic race, which was made much more difficult because he had to be constantly vigilant to steer me around all the countless potential hazards. 'The final stretch along the straight road into Musselburgh was lined with crowds of people, all of them shouting their support for all they were worth. 'The last two miles were just a wall of sound and smiling faces so I found the highly emotionally charged last few steps of what will very likely be my final sporting event completely overwhelming.' During the race, Michael wore a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service cap as other son David is a fireman in Edinburgh. He added: 'As we approached the finish line the announcer shouted out to all and sundry that, quoting MND's default saying 'here come two runners really making time count, MND is a horrible, horrible disease'. Sunday certainly counted for my family, friends and supporters. 'Try as I might I couldn't help but be in floods of tears for virtually the whole of the last mile but the last hundred metres really nailed it. 'We finished in three hours 56 minutes and three seconds, under four hours which was our goal, and so far we've raised £4,615, not including the gift aid of well over £900. My original target was £1,000 so we're thrilled and extremely humbled that so many people were so generous.' Dumfries Running Club's Sandy Shankland and wife Linda cheered on Andrew and Michael – who now lives in Penicuik – with club members having previously supported the pair when they tackled the Great Scottish Run last year. There's still time to sponsor them at JustGiving.
Daily Record
29-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Rugby legend Kevin Sinfield records special video of support for Dumfries father and son's marathon challenge
Rugby legend Kevin Sinfield has shown his support for a father and son's marathon challenge. Michael Cole from Dumfries was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in November 2022 – an illness that has claimed the life of Kevin's former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow. In May, Michael – who is 73 – will be pushed round the Edinburgh Marathon by son Andrew in a special sports wheelchair to raise awareness of the disease as well as vital funds for MND Scotland. And Kevin, who has raised more than £11million for MND charities in honour of Rob, who wore the number seven shirt during his career, has recorded a special message of support. In the video, released by MND Scotland, he said: 'I just wanted to wish Michael and Andrew Cole all the best for the Edinburgh Marathon. 'I hear this is your seventh marathon Michael and that is a great number, as you know. 'Hopefully Andrew will give you a smooth ride around the beautiful city of Edinburgh and I hope you both really enjoy it. 'Good luck!' Rob was diagnosed with MND in 2019 and died from the disease last year. It has also claimed the life of Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir. Click here for more news and sport from Dumfries and Galloway. Kevin's epic charity efforts –often revolving around Rob's shirt number – have helped numerous MND charities and he has also been awarded a CBE. Michael, who now lives in Penicuik in Midlothian, had run a number of marathons before his diagnosis and this will be the second time he and Andrew have taken on a race together. Last year, they tackled the Great Scottish Run for MND, with Dumfries Running Club members cheering the pair on. Next up is the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on May 25. The pair can be sponsored at their JustGiving page .
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Mum's record in mind' - McColgan ready for marathon debut
Eilish McColgan says she is simply looking to complete her marathon debut in London with "no mishaps" but then quickly admits to having a couple of "loose goals", which turn out to be significant would be setting a new Scottish record and, if she does that, it will take care of number two - beating her mother's personal she is certainly not expected to emulate Liz McColgan's 1996 victory. Mum and coach also came second of 1997 and 1998, running a career-best of two hours 26 minutes and 52 seconds in Twell took 12 seconds off that time in 2019 to establish a Scottish champion at 10,000m in 2022, Eilish had planned to run her first London Marathon the year after but had to withdraw because of with Sunday's race in sight, she hopes it can be the springboard to the next phase of her career."It's a complete unknown, the furthest I've ever run," said the 34-year-old."There's an overriding feeling of nerves but I'm also super excited to be part of it."To be on the start line with some of fastest women in history is pretty special."I want a smooth experience in my first marathon – no mishaps. Enjoy it, take in the atmosphere, then this can be a platform for me to push on and really look towards performances on a world level."Not many first-time runners in London will benefit from such an experienced coach."I don't think there's anyone better to get advice from," said Eilish of the family connection."We are very different athletes, coming at it from very different ways. I'm very low mileage, my mum was very high mileage, so it's completely different training paths to the start line."She's said it's important to keep a lid on it in the first half. There's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement and a lot of adrenalin. "She always says the real race starts from 30-40k onwards."I obviously have my mum's PB in the back of my mind. There's part of me that would love to break that."It's the last of her records that I haven't broken. Then there's the Scottish record."I've got nothing set in stone. They are loose goals and, if I have a good day, it will happen." Return to the track for Glasgow 2026? McColgan took part in the steeplechase at Glasgow 2014 before switching to the will be no marathon at the scaled down event when it returns to the city next year but that does not mean she is not considering making it to a fifth Commonwealth Games."It's disappointing," she said of the absence of a 26.2 mile race in 2026. "They could have thought of inventive ways to try and keep it in there. "They could have doubled the Great Scottish Run route or had a 10k loop, so the road closures were less. They could have done something off the chart, like a 10k mixed relay."Maybe even a mass participation race, like they did in Paris [2024 Olympics]. A lot of big races are going that way and it would have been a way to make some revenue. "I don't want to miss out on a home championships, so if that means going back to the track and trying to qualify for the 10k, I'll maybe try and have a pop at that."For now, marathons and road racing is my priority."
