The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Detour fails to hinder McColgan training
ATHLETICS: Hawkhill Harrier still on track despite forced road trip to New Mexico
Eilish McColgan is getting stuck into training along with her partner, GB 800 metres internationalist Michael Rimmer, as both find themselves ‘stuck’ in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The couple had been training in the high altitude Arizona city of Flagstaff for the past two months but with their flight back to the UK cancelled, they were forced to set off on a road trip to New Mexico.
McColgan said: “With our flights cancelled and no reply from either the travel agency nor the airline, we had to make alternative plans and head on a road trip across to another state to find another flight.
“On the plus side, we’ve got to explore another beautiful location with the sunshine on our back for a few days. I should have brought my sun cream!”
It didn’t take long for the Dundee Hawkhill athlete to acclimatise to her new training base with sessions at the local track and endurance runs over the local trails.
“My first full day in Albuquerque, there was an older gentleman walking his dog while I was warming down and he shouted over to me.
“I didn’t quite catch what he said, but he asked if I ‘ran for the IAAF’. A little confused, I replied: ‘Ermm sort of, I’m from the UK. He then said, I thought it was you – you’re McColgan!’
“We’ve been having issues trying to get a refund or alternative flight but, to be honest, it’s not the end of the world as we aren’t in any huge rush to get back to the UK (for now) as there are no races.
“We would just be doing the same thing here in America as we would be at home.
“We’ve been in America for over two months now so as you can imagine the accommodation costs are expensive and all flights home are super expensive too but we knew there would be a high possibility of our flights being cancelled.
“Fingers crossed we can get an alternative flight or a refund to book a new flight around May 14.
“Our visa runs out at the end of May so we will have to ensure we are home for then to avoid any travel issues to America in the future. But everything is good out here for training, so we are in a great environment.”
McColgan’s year had started with a win at the New York Midnight fourmile race before 10km road race wins in Orlando and Bermuda. Early season track races are now out of reach, but the GB internationalist remains optimistic.
Content in her new environment, McColgan stated: “I’m just training as usual even with no races. I may as well keep fit and get myself into good shape for some road races over next winter before taking a break and building up for the Olympics.”
As several countries begin to ease lockdown restrictions, athletics competition organisers are starting to look at alternative ways of holding events.
The Czech athletics federation has announced a ‘micro-meeting’ series which is set to feature stars such as world javelin record holder Barbora Spotakova and world and European indoor 400m champion Pavel Maslak.
The country’s government is set to allow gatherings of up to 50 people from May 25 and the first athletics meeting of six is due to take place in Kladno on June 1. As part of the federation’s ‘Back to the Track’ initiative, a further 100 events at least will also be held for children and young athletes across the country.
Standard competitions and races may still be some way off, but the Ultimate Garden Clash pole vault edition will see world record-holder Mondo Duplantis (Sweden), two-time world champion Sam Kendricks (USA) and 2012 Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie (France) connected via a live video link as they compete from the safety of their own back gardens.
Instead of a contest to clear the maximum height, the three athletes will attempt to vault five metres as many times as they can within 30 minutes.
I may as well keep fit and get myself into good shape for some road races over next winter before taking a break and building up for the Olympics. EILISH MCCOLGAN