All eyes on Tokyo 2020 for Eilish Mccolgan
After winning silver at the European Championships in the 5,000 metres in Berlin, the Scottish runner talks to Liz Connor about life both on and off the track
Running is clearly in the blood for Dundeeborn Eilish Mccolgan, who competes in the 3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m; both her parents were international athletes too. Her mum is Liz Mccolgan, the former world champion running legend who represented GB in the 1980s and 90s, while her dad, Peter Mccolgan, is the former record-holding Northern-irish steeplechase runner.
Here, she talks about dealing with the pressures of competing, her diet and fitness regimes, and hopes for the 2020 Games.
What was it like to win silver at the European Championships?
“Berlin was an amazing experience. I put a lot of pressure on myself, as I knew I was heading into the championship in great shape and capable of winning a medal if I executed a good race.
“I went off at a strong pace and was over the moon to come away with my first outdoor medal. It started off as a poor year, after I picked up a virus, so it was nice to end on such a high. Not only scoring a fast time and picking up a silver medal, but doing it in such a historic Olympic stadium.”
It’s a huge achievement, were your parents really proud?
“My mum and dad were both really happy to finally see me get a reward for all the work I’ve put in over the years. My mum is my coach, so she’s been with me right the way through my career. They’ve both supported me through all the highs and lows of sport -– injuries and illness – so they were proud to see me come away with a medal.”
Did your parents influence your decision to become an athlete?
“Because my parents were international athletes, they always did their best to keep me sheltered from the sport. They wanted me to make my own decisions and not to push me into it.
“I was always the one being the driving force and always wanting to do more, while they were holding me back. Looking back now, although it was frustrating at the time, it was the right thing to do and the main reason why I think I’ve gone on to have success at senior level.”
What is your diet like? Do you cut out any foods or drinks?
“I don’t follow a strict diet but my boyfriend [Michael Rimmer] is also an Olympic athlete, so we like to cook everything from fresh. We make our own sauces and use fresh vegetables and a range of different meats throughout the week.
“I don’t drink any alcohol, coffee or tea, but that’s mainly because I just don’t like the taste. There’s nothing that I restrict – everything is in moderation and if I want something sweet, I’ll do so. I’m training so hard, I need to make sure I’m getting in enough calories in order for my body to recover, rather than restricting it.” What’s your fitness regime like at the moment?
“I run every day apart from Friday, which is my rest day. I usually do hard track sessions on a Tuesday and Saturday, and a 10-mile Sunday run. Four evenings a week, I’ll cross train for 40 minutes, either on the spin bike or cross trainer.
How do you spend your downtime?
“I don’t get a great deal of downtime but the time I do get away from training, I spend with my boyfriend. We’ll usually catch up with family or go out for a nice meal together.”
You’re still quite young, how do you deal with the pressure of being on the world’s stage?
“My first ever championship was London 2012 at age 21. The pressure was really on because not only was it the Olympics, it was also on home turf. It was just beyond anything I could have ever imagined or prepared for.
“It really was the most nervewracking experience I’ve ever had and I was thrown into the deep end. It gave me great experience for future championships; I’ve never really been as nervous since.”
Who is your sporting hero?
“My mum is a great inspiration for me. It’s not until you get into the sport that you realise how difficult it is to be the best in the UK, or the best in Europe. But in 1991, my mum was World Champion – the best in the whole world – and that really is amazing. I have a great respect for her not only as my mum and an athlete, but also as a coach.”
Do you have any top tips for budding runners?
“Firstly, I would say find some
running buddies. Whether it’s just one friend or a local group, it’ll allow you to keep motivated.
“Find a good coach too. If you have a schedule that’s tailored just for you, you’re giving yourself the best chance of sticking to it and staying accountable to achieving the goals you’ve set. I actually set online programmes for beginners to advanced runners looking to improve their times through my website, Running Made Easy (runningmadeeasy.co.uk).
“I’d also get a GPS watch. It’s motivating to know exactly how far you’re running and how fast – it allows you to see the comparison and improvements you’re making, which again can really help drive motivation. I use the Polar M430 (£174.50, polar. com/uk-en), which gives me all the information I need.” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Focus on you. As a kid, I would always worry too much about other people which was silly, because you can’t control what others do. Control what you can, and focus on improving you.
“The greatest thing about running is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a 20-minute park runner or a five-hour marathoner, everyone has their own personal best to try and aim for.”
If you weren’t an athlete, what would you have been?
“I studied maths and accountancy at university, so I’m sure I would have ended up doing something with my degree. But after being involved in the sport now, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. Perhaps I wouldn’t be running, but I’d still be involved in some capacity.”
What are your goals for the future?
“This year, I would love to run some personal bests over 1,500m to 5,000m, ideally climbing to second on the all-time list, behind Paula Radcliffe. That’s my main goal over the next year.
“Longer term, I would love to be at my third Olympics in Tokyo 2020 and be as close to a medal as I possibly could. Breaking into the top five in the world is where I want to be heading.”
● Double Olympian Eilish Mccolgan is a sporting ambassador for wearable sports and fitness technology brand Polar. For more information about Polar’s full product range, visit polar.com/ uk-en