Eilish McColgan’s journey back to the winner’s circle has been anything but easy. The 33-year-old Scottish runner has spent over a year grappling with injuries that threatened to derail her career, but after months of uncertainty and setbacks, she’s returned to competition and is once again winning races.
In the past few weeks, McColgan has covered more competitive miles than she managed in the entirety of 2023, and has claimed more victories than at any time since 2022. But perhaps most importantly, she’s running injury-free and edging closer to regaining her top form.
McColgan’s road to recovery began after a difficult period in early 2023 when she was sidelined by a knee injury, compounded by a previous hamstring tear. Her efforts to return were further delayed by her determination to compete in the London Marathon, which ultimately exacerbated her recovery.
Her injuries came at a particularly unfortunate time. Just a year earlier, McColgan had enjoyed the best season of her career, capturing Commonwealth gold and silver in the 10,000m and 5000m, and earning European silver and bronze in the same events. She also set multiple records at both national and continental levels. Despite these accomplishments, McColgan’s return to fitness was plagued by uncertainty.
“It was tough because no one knew exactly what was wrong with my knee or how long recovery would take,” McColgan said. “It was the uncertainty that was the hardest part, feeling like time was slipping away.”
However, through persistence and the support of her family and coaching team, McColgan remained confident in her ability to return. “I never doubted I’d get back eventually, even though the process took longer than expected.”
The results of her hard work became evident in recent performances. With victories at The Big Half and the London Vitality 10K, along with a solid fifth-place finish at the Great North Run, McColgan has proved she’s back on track. “It’s nice to finally feel like things are heading in the right direction,” she remarked. “I’m not breaking records just yet, but it’s a positive sign to complete races without any issues.”
Despite a challenging year, McColgan still managed to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, making her the first Scottish track and field athlete to compete in four Olympic Games. While she finished 15th in the 10,000m final, her achievement in reaching the Games after such a difficult period is one she’ll look back on with pride.
“Making it to my fourth Olympics is something I’ll be proud of for years to come,” she reflected. “It’s not easy to stay at this level for so long, but it’s also frustrating that I couldn’t deliver the performance I wanted in Paris.”
McColgan has long been one of the most recognizable figures in Scottish athletics, not only due to her sporting success but also because of her candid approach to sharing her experiences. With a large following on social media, she regularly engages with fans, though the visibility has also made her a target of criticism. McColgan often faces unfair comments about her body and accusations of being “too thin,” or that her frequent injuries are due to fragility.
“A lot of people online think I’m always injured, but that’s just not true,” she said. “I’ve made every GB team since 2015 until last year, so I don’t understand where this perception comes from.”
McColgan also addresses the body-shaming remarks that suggest she’s unhealthy. “People accuse me of being anorexic based on how I look, but that’s simply not the case. I’ve had to learn to tune out the negativity because it’s not reflective of reality, and it’s important to show young women that I’m standing up for myself and that I’m healthy.”
With her injury troubles behind her, McColgan is now planning for 2025, focusing on finally making her marathon debut, an ambition she’s held for some time. While the London Marathon remains her top choice, she’s keeping her options open this time around. “London would be the ideal race, but I’ve learned not to put all my hopes on one event. I’ll definitely run a marathon in 2025, I just need to decide which one.”
Having overcome so many obstacles, McColgan is poised to tackle the marathon with the same determination that brought her back from injury, ready to embrace the next challenge in her career.
