Mccolgan hopes hard work in the heat pays off

Seven weeks of Eilish Mccolgan’s sweat and toil on foreign soil will be put to good use in Birmingham this weekend as the 27-year-old bids to secure her spot at next month’s world indoor championships back in the same city.

From Doha to Kenya to Madrid, the 2017 European bronze medallist has been putting in the miles in a bid to ready herself for a spring season that also takes in the Commonwealth Games.

Free of the injury concerns that have plagued her in the past, she has been able to fully unleash herself and it has been invigorating, she admits.

“Kenya ended up being the best three weeks of training I‘ve ever had,” she said. “My Mum’s husband, John Nuttall, came out tooversee it. I had my physio there as well. It’s the first time I’ve ever had my whole support crew out with me which is why I was very excited to go to Madrid in midweek and race.

“And it’s why I was disappointed with only getting 4:08. I feel I’m in better shape than that at moment but I did have 30 hours travel, door to door, from Kenya. Looking back, that’s not ideal before running a 1,500m. But I’m pretty sure there’s more to come.”

The trials will live up to their billing in the 3,000m where she and fellow Scots Laura Muir and Steph Twell are among the strongest field of the opening day. Then Muir and Mccolgan will quickly regroup for the 1,500m and the chance to earn two shots at global glory.

“The 1,500m definitely won’t be as strong as the 3,000m but it’s an exciting challenge to have at a British Championships,” Mccolgan said.

Elsewhere, Jake Wightman and Chris O’hare will pursue another one-two finish in the 1,500 metres at the Barclaycard Arena seven days after their ferocious duel in Boston which brought the latter a Scottish record.