Latest news with #LizMcColgan
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
McColgan eyes Great North Run after marathon debut 'relief'
Eilish McColgan is targeting the Great North Run in September as the next stage in her switch to marathon running after "a real struggle walking down and up stairs" after her debut at 26.2 34-year-old broke the Scottish record as she finished eighth - the first British woman across the line - in last month's London Marathon.A four-time Olympian at middle-distance, McColgan says it was "a bit of a relief" to put her first marathon behind her, beating Steph Twell's Scottish record, and the previous national best by mother Liz, by more than two minutes."It has taken me a good three weeks," she said on BBC Radio Scotland when asked about her recovery. "First week was a real struggle - walking down and up stairs, not the easiest."It definitely hit me a lot harder than I expected. But it feels good now to have done that first one, to get it out the way and I know what to expect now, which makes it easier for the next one." Having crossed the line in two hours, 24 minutes and 25 seconds, McColgan wants to go under 2:20, a time she believes is needed to compete at world level."London was the main priority and I haven't scheduled anything after that because I wasn't sure how I would recover," she said. "It's given me a lot of confidence knowing that, okay, it wasn't great, my first one, it felt tough, I felt like I struggled, but I came eighth and held on to top Brit."The next one for me might be the Great North Run in September - a half marathon there."McColgan has yet to decide whether her next marathon proper will be one where male participants will help pace her to a faster time, or "do I go something more tactical like New York?".She found the London Marathon "quite nerve wracking" as it was "a baptism of fire" making her debut in a high-profile event full of women champions at the she liked "that buzz you get" from having fans shouting her name all the way round the course - and feels suited to the distance as she targets the next Olympics."This is definitely a new chapter for me," McColgan added. "I always felt that one day I would get to the marathon and I'm coming at it a bit later than perhaps was originally planned."There's lots more space on the road as well. On the track, I'm very tall and gangly, so I would often get clipped and tripped - and on the road it is good to have my own space and rhythm."
The National
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
'A surreal moment' – McColgan reflects on record-breaking marathon
The result makes her the highest-placed female British athlete in the race, a feat that left her with mixed emotions of pride and disbelief. 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 of 2:26:52 in 1997, 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." (Image: John Walton - PA) Having reached that pivotal milestone, McColgan proudly embraced the title of "marathoner" for the first time. The Scot had originally hoped to race at the legendary London event in 2023 and 2024, but injury setbacks delayed her journey to the start line until now. "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."
The Herald Scotland
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
'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."
Daily Record
27-04-2025
- Climate
- Daily Record
London Marathon 2025 weather forecast as thousands take to the streets
A record breaking 56,000 plus people are expected to finish and run the London Marathon today, Sunday, April 27. Incredibly, this would surpass the 55,646 finishers at the New York Marathon in 2024. A world record 840,000 people entered the ballot for the London Marathon 2025, making it the most popular marathon on the planet. Hundreds of Scots are among those hoping to hit a personal best at the finish line this year. Eilish McColgan, Commonwealth Games Champion, is also making her marathon debut, and is aiming to set a Scottish record, and beating her mother Liz McColgan's record and personal best of 2:26:52 from 1997. Outlander's Sam Heughan will also be lacing up his trainers for Blood Cancer UK, while other heroic Scots including Rebecca Jackson from Kirkcudbright and David Haggerty, a Kilmarnock fireman, will also be running for charity . But what will the weather be like when Scots fly their saltire high and proud south of the border this weekend? Well, the weather for the event is looking like it will favour spectators over runners, according to the Met Office . "As the day begins, runners will be greeted with a fresh and cool morning," the national forecaster explained. "Temperatures are anticipated to be around 10°C to 11°C, ideal for those early morning preparations and warm-ups. "This cooler start should provide a comfortable beginning for the runners. "As the marathon progresses, the weather is expected to remain mostly fine and dry. While there will be some cloud cover, sunny spells are likely to break through, gradually increasing the temperatures. "By midday, temperatures could reach between 18°C and 19°C and will continue to creep up into the afternoon." Progressing into the afternoon, the mercury will rise even further, peaking at around 22°C to 23°C. This warmer weather will be enjoyable for spectators, but runners should be prepared for the heat. It is advisable to stay hydrated and consider applying sunscreen to protect against the sun. "The 2025 London Marathon definitely looks better for the spectators because it is going to be getting quite warm by Sunday afternoon," Alex Deakin, Met Office presenter and meteorologist, said. 'First thing Sunday morning as you're waiting for the start It'll be quite fresh quite cool by the time the start gets underway. Temperatures probably 10°C or 11°C. "Most of the day will be fine weather-wise, there'll be some cloud but there will also be some sunny spells. "Those sunny spells are likely to lift the temperatures through the morning so that by around midday we'll be looking at temperatures in the high teens 18°C or 19°C. "The winds are going to be fairly light but those temperatures will continue to tick up as we go through the afternoon probably peaking around the middle of the afternoon at 22°C maybe even 23°C." Meanwhile, back in Scotland, it will be a rather cloudy and breezy day in the northwest with some outbreaks of rain. These showers will be heaviest and most persistent across the west and northwest of Scotland .
Telegraph
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Georgia Hunter Bell: Social media has a really dark side – I never read comments on race day
Georgia Hunter Bell, the runner who went from Parkrun to the Olympic podium in less than a year, has revealed that she stays off social media on race day because of its 'dark side'. Former world champion Liz McColgan also called out the online abuse of female athletes earlier this week after her daughter Eilish, the Commonwealth 10,000 metres champion, was subjected to 'demeaning and abusive' comments about her appearance. Hunter Bell is aiming this week to win her first major title after a dream comeback in 2024 when, at the age of 30, she won respective silver and bronze medals in the women's European and Olympic 1500m finals. Her story has inspired numerous people but, ahead of travelling to the Netherlands for this week's European Indoor Championship, she admitted that the accessibility of athletes comes with downsides. 'I have had to get quite a thick skin quite quickly,' Hunter Bell says. 'The majority of people are really supportive but there is a really dark side of social media where people write things about you, about your body, about how you look, about what they think of you. 'Sometimes I'll have people direct messaging me things. It is something that does need to stop. It drains a lot of your energy. I might do a post in the morning if I've got a race and then I won't go on social media all day. I just don't go on it, because you never know… you can see something and it can just really affect you and hit you in a strange spot. 'My husband George tells me to… try to see it as the ultimate compliment because, when you get to a certain level, people think that they can say what they want, that you're fair game. It's a tough one, definitely – and I think especially for women.' Cram's key role Hunter Bell's senior international debut was at the World Indoor Championships almost exactly a year ago, when she was combining her return to athletics with a full-time job in cyber security. She finished fourth, with the BBC commentator Steve Cram inadvertently helping make her decision to dedicate full-time to running. 'When I crossed the line, Steve said, 'Georgia Bell must know that if she goes full time, she'll be able to make the Olympics',' she says. 'That did really help my case, because I'd told everyone at work to watch in my out-of-office email. When I went to them a week later and said, 'Do you think I could take a break over the summer to try to make the Olympics', they were more understanding.' A British record and bronze medal in the Olympic final would follow and Hunter Bell will go into this week's European Championships as the fastest in the field and favourite for gold. She says that the added recovery from not balancing training and racing with work has been hugely beneficial, but accepts that her new professional status – and an enhanced Nike contract – does bring a new dimension. Hunter Bell is now part of the M11 Track Club, where she trains with Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson. 'Last year I was waking up at 6am to train before work, working a full day of work, and then going out to train in the dark in the evenings,' she says. 'I was working in a software sales job where, every month, if you don't hit your quota, you could be fired. So it's not like a very dossy job, where you can chill out. It was, 'There is a number you need to get on the board'. '[Now] I wake up every day really excited versus being, 'How on earth am I going to do all of this, try to train and book time off on Friday to get myself to Dortmund and race'. It was just quite a lot to manage. 'It has been a crazy 12 months. It was quite fun being the underdog. I really enjoyed that role last year because I just knew I was in great shape. I'm saying publicly I'm going for European gold. That is different, so I'm adjusting to it. I guess every athlete once they have their breakthrough, it's almost the second year which is the more telling of your capability, physically but also mentally.'
