Eilish McColgan: Nine Questions – runblogrun

That is Stuart Weir’s ultimate article on Eilish McColgan’s unbelievable yr of 2022 and her plans in 2023. 

9 questions Eilish McColgan

Eilish McColgan is without doubt one of the most considerate and articulate athletes I’ve ever spoken with. Within the ultimate article, she solutions questions on a spread of matters regarding her profession.

RunBlogRun, #1: What have been the challenges of the three championships in a single yr in 2022 (Worlds, Commonwealths, and Europeans)?

Eilish McColgan: I might say that the largest problem is the psychological facet – ending, choosing your self as much as go once more, and coping with the media calls for.  That was all a bit overwhelming.  Then it’s a must to overlook about it and give attention to the subsequent race after which the subsequent one and simply hold going and going and going.  However you come to the purpose the place mentally, you are feeling slightly bit fatigued.  However we knew we had three championships to arrange for, and I used to be very up and prepared to do this.  Possibly as a result of the final two years have simply been garbage with COVID and no spectators, no followers within the stands, I wished to take advantage of this chance and revel in it for what it was as a result of we’ve had two very disrupted years within the sport, which wasn’t enjoyable for anybody.  So it was simply good to be again racing in full stadiums.  It was good to be again to normality.

RunBlogRun, #2: You’re a busy athlete, working a Half Marathon in February and nonetheless going with a 15K in November 2022!

Eilish McColgan: Earlier than the 15K in November, I had already had my vacation.  I’d had a while off.  I wasn’t within the form that I would love for that 15 Okay., However that race within the Netherlands is one which I all the time get requested to do, and my agent is Dutch.  I’ve all the time shied away from it as a result of I’m coming off a vacation and suppose that I don’t need to run a race once I’m not match.  However this yr, I simply thought, “why not?  Am I ever going to be in peak form for a race in November?  Most likely not, so why not simply go and do it and revel in it”.  I didn’t run as quick as I would love, however I broke my mother’s file.  My mother gained’t thoughts me saying this, however it’s a weak file for a distance that doesn’t get run that usually.  I feel I ran quicker over that distance within the Nice South Run.  Within the two years, I did the Nice South Run, I ran quicker via 15 Okay than within the Dutch race.  It a pleasant to return away with a file, however it wasn’t one of many key races in my season.  It’s only a method of getting again into winter coaching.

RunBlogRun, #3: The half marathon in February?

Eilish McColgan: It was the identical actually in February.  It was simply one thing I wished to do as a result of I used to be in actually good condition as we had put in some critical work from November proper the best way via to February.  I used to be in Dubai, and the race was solely an hour away, so I assumed it was an important alternative to showcase the health I’d constructed up over the winter.  And I feel it’s slightly bit totally different while you’re working on the roads from the observe, so it didn’t really feel like I used to be getting ready for the observe that was simply me doing winter coaching and together with a highway race to see the place I’m at.  The summer season observe season for me is kind of separate. 

RunBlogRun, #4: Will you be within the Budapest World Championships, the marathon, or the observe?

Eilish McColgan: Good query.  It actually depends upon how London goes and the way shortly I get well off the again of London.  However even when London goes nicely, I might imagine it’s too tight to do one other marathon so quickly and that it could be higher to do an autumn or winter marathon.  Regardless, I wish to be in Budapest.  If London doesn’t go in addition to I would love, and I feel I’d like one other go on the marathon, I wouldn’t have time and couldn’t do Budapest.  It’s in all probability extra seemingly I might be in Budapest for the ten Okay.  I nonetheless need to stay aggressive over the ten Okay.  I feel should you have a look at the world’s prime marathon runners, they’re all world-class over 10K.  Undoubtedly, they might go to the Worlds or Olympics for 10 Okay.  In truth, the elite runners within the marathon undergo 10 Okay in high quality occasions however simply carry on working.

One of many good issues concerning the marathon is that there are such a lot of choices, though you’ll be able to in all probability solely do two or a most of three in a yr.  However the good factor is that there are huge ones to goal for each two or three months, unfold out all year long.  And even when it’s not a significant marathon, you’ve gotten a Valencia and Seville and different smaller marathons that are quick.  Which means you could be a little bit extra versatile in your planning.  So we’ll wait and see how London goes earlier than planning for the remainder of the yr.

RunBlogRun, #5: If the marathon change goes nicely, will you proceed to run some 10Ks?

Eilish McColgan:  I nonetheless need to keep watch over that and don’t need to get to a state of affairs the place I can’t compete in 10 Okay as a result of then I feel I might lose my high quality over the marathon distance too.  All of them hyperlink to one another.  So realistically, in all probability a ten Okay in Budapest, however it all comes all the way down to how nicely London goes and the way nicely I get well on the again of that and whether or not I really feel I can do one other one in August or if I feel it’s higher to increase that out a bit and goal for a winter marathon.

RunBlogRun, #6: What’s your common weekly mileage?

Eilish McColgan: I’m fairly uncommon.  I had a extremely unhealthy damage in 2011.  I fully fractured my navicular bone in a steeple chase and had 5 screws and a metallic plate in my foot.  In 2015 I fractured my ankle on the identical foot, they usually put two extra screws in, so I now have seven screws in that foot.  And once I began again working after the surgical procedure, my foot was so painful. 

I noticed there was no method I might run twice a day.  I give up the steeple chase as a result of I couldn’t hop on my foot, by no means thoughts steeple chase.  So I modified to flat working on a regular basis.  I used to be very cautious about the place I might run and introduced my mileage proper down, simply working as soon as each day and thru the ache.  Within the night, I might aqua jog or go on a spin bike or cross-trainer as a result of I didn’t have ache once I did that.  I did that for the entire of the tip of 2015. In 2016 I went to my first race of the yr at Stanford, certainly one of my first 5k for years, and I feel I ran 15:09, which was a qualifying time for Rio and a 40-second PB.  

RunBlogRun, #7: How did you react to that glorious time on the again of low mileage?

Eilish McColgan:  I couldn’t imagine it and keep in mind texting my mum, ‘whao!’.  I had simply run an enormous PB off working 30 miles per week.  It appeared ridiculous.  I had by no means run such low mileage and but had run so nicely.  And from that, maybe we realized that I have to do one thing totally different.  My mum struggled with that as a result of she was all the time used to working 100+ miles per week.  So to see me working 30 however working higher than I ever had been was an odd transition for her to get her thoughts round.  However over the previous couple of years, we’ve realized that I’m totally different.  I’m taller and constructed slightly bit in a different way.  We’re totally different folks, and what works for one doesn’t essentially work for an additional.

Over time, we’ve steadily constructed it up, beginning at 30 miles per week, and we’ve constructed it to the purpose now the place it’s in all probability about 65 miles per week.  I’m nonetheless cross-training however not as a lot – I’ve lowered the cross-training as I’ve elevated the mileage, however I feel that’s what has allowed me to be damage free – after all, I nonetheless get injured, however nowhere close to to the extent I used to, the place I might be spending months and months out, on crutches and getting surgical procedure.  It has been a really totally different method of coaching, simply working as soon as a day, however it has labored, so we caught with that for now.  The best can be that I get my mileage as much as 75 or 80 – that may be a objective of mine for this yr, decreasing the cross-training to permit me to stand up to there.  However it should nonetheless be an enormous a part of my program once I cross-train or aqua jog and offload.  It’s been a great way to maintain my physique, coronary heart, and lungs going however with out the added impression. 

RunBlogRun, #8: Together with your mother based mostly in Qatar, Michael (Rimmer) appears to play an enormous position in your profession?  How does that work?

Eilish McColgan: Throughout the pandemic, we obtained caught overseas, and we made a dedication there after which that we might do every little thing we might to ‘go all in,’ as we referred to as it.  If it meant that we must journey 11 months of the yr to get higher coaching circumstances, altitude, and so on. I might, however Michael would come and be with me.  It made an enormous distinction having somebody there supporting me as a result of, up to now, I might go to an altitude camp for 5 weeks, completely by myself, sitting round in a room on my own, going out coaching on my own, however it makes such an enormous distinction having Michael there.  He’s round me a lot that he is aware of me higher than anybody else.  And from a psychological perspective, as a substitute of being alone on a regular basis – lacking house and household – which I feel is without doubt one of the hardest components of being an athlete.  But it surely makes it quite a bit simpler when Michael is by my facet, and I’ve my finest good friend with me 24/7.  

RunBlogRun, #9: Does he assist with coaching?

Eilish McColgan: He is a big a part of my assist system and helps with coaching and day-to-day choices.  Having somebody to return out on the bike with me and time my classes to tempo my classes is such a assist.  Even for small issues, he does all my physio and rehab.  After I get up drained, usually I might simply go and do the session and crack on as a result of my mother has set for it, and it’s on my program, and that may be it.  However Michael can be like. ‘let’s not do this immediately.  Let’s delay it a day.  Let’s change it slightly or make it much less intense or give longer for restoration’, modifications like that that make an enormous distinction.  I battle to make them as a result of, as an athlete, I need to do extra.  I need to add on further reps.  I simply need to practice.  Even when my foot is sore, I need to exit and do a session.  However Michael will say, ‘No, you might be sick immediately’ or ‘your foot is sore, let’s take a break day, take a few days off, and go within the pool as a substitute.’  Simply making small modifications.  It has allowed me to be way more constant than we ever have been, however it’s additionally an enormous dedication on his facet.  He has left his profession behind so as to take action.  He’s left his household behind and everybody within the UK.  There’s the dedication on either side, however I’m very fortunate that he’s on this journey with me.