Eilish McColgan sets two London Marathon targets for long-awaited debut

McColgan is back and poised to run the iconic distance after breaking down injured in 2023, with the star-studded elite women’s field boasting world record holder Ruth Chepngetich and Olympic gold medallist Sifan Hassan

Eilish McColgan is taking a long-game approach to marathon (PA Archive)

Eilish McColgan is targeting family bragging rights and a new Scottish record when she makes her London Marathon debut next week.

The 10,000m Commonwealth Games champion is finally ready to step up to the iconic 26.2-mile distance after bold plans in 2023 were scuppered by a late knee injury.

And McColgan will join a star-studded elite women's field next Sunday starting in Blackheath, including world record holder Ruth Chepngetich and Olympic gold medallist Sifan Hassan.

The 34-year-old maintains she entered London "all guns blazing" two years ago before breaking down just days before reaching the start line.

Competing with the world's best and becoming the first British woman to break 2:20 since former world record holder Paula Radcliffe remains her ultimate target. But a patient McColgan will instead look to first claim the final family best belonging to mother Liz McColgan, a three-time World Marathon Major champion and winner at London in 1996, while topping Steph Twell's mark of 2:26:40.

"I felt like I was in the absolute shape of my life [in 2023] and was definitely looking to go to London and run a quick time," McColgan, a Science in Sport performance nutrition ambassador, tells the Independent. "But we've definitely gone into this build a little bit more undercooked. We've tried to keep a lid on things and ensure I make it to the start line. London is a big stepping stone towards running a fast time. This being my first one, I can't expect to look at a position. I'm just focusing entirely on my own race. I'm not only racing Olympic champions, World Champions, these women are the best marathon runners that have ever existed.

"My mum ran 2:26:52, it's the last PB in her family name. So I'd like to break that and then the Scottish record (2:26:40) is just a touch faster. It was my mum's Scottish record, so it would be really nice to sort of revert that back into our family name. That's the soft goal, but time wise, I'd still like to run one of the fastest times in British history as a debutante. But it's not run this time or it's a failure. For my first one, I really need a good experience, no mishaps, no missing drinks or choking on gels. just make sure it's really smooth."

Eilish McColgan hopes to set a new Scottish record at the London Marathon 2025 (Science in Sport)

Alongside McColgan will be 2023 champion Hassan, who prevailed in a gripping battle with two-time Berlin Marathon champion and former world record holder Tigst Assefa in Paris last summer. Defending champion Peres Jepchirchir and two-time major winner Joyciline Jepkosgei add to one of the greatest fields ever assembled.

And McColgan has been left in awe of her fellow competitors and believes they can provide British women with inspiration to once again break the 2:20 barrier.

"It's just cool for me to even be on the elite start line for London," McColgan maintains. "I never dreamt that I would. Maybe as a fun run with the masses and raising funds for charity, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be on the start line as an elite athlete. It's very, very surreal. There's all these incredible women that I have watched year on year. It's just pretty inspiring.

"It's been a long time since a Brit has ran under 2:20 you know, Paula obviously ran her outstanding world record of 2:15. But there's been no one since Paula in the UK to break that barrier, but we're edging closer and closer to it. Calli Hauger-Thackery [who runs in the Boston Marathon six days before the London Marathon] was close [with 2:21:24 in Berlin last year]. There are athletes nudging towards that barrier and I'd like to be one of them too.

"I'd like to think that that's the sort of ballpark region that I can get towards and be one of the next athletes after that on the all time list after Paula. Everyone elevates each other and it just raises the bar for everyone."

Eilish McColgan is an ambassador for leading performance nutrition brand Science in Sport and fuels her training and competition with scientifically tested and formulated SiS products.