Eilish McColgan expects to interrupt Paula Radcliffe’s 22-year-old British file within the London Marathon – however not on her debut.
The reigning Commonwealth Video games 10,000m champion will run her maiden 26.2-mile race in April, two years after she anticipated to compete within the iconic occasion on the streets of London.
Harm put paid to her 2023 plan and the Scot feels “dashing” her marathon coaching contributed to the accidents that meant she was unable to run for practically six months.
The four-time Olympian says she must settle in to this “totally different chapter” of her profession earlier than she is going to be capable to assault Radcliffe’s mark of two hours quarter-hour 25 seconds.
“It is so unrealistic to suppose I’ll go in and break Paula Radcliffe’s file on my first try,” stated the 34-year-old.
“That is nonsense. It simply is not going to occur. However do I feel I am able to getting right down to these occasions sooner or later? Completely. I would not be right here if I did not suppose I used to be.
“However I am taking part in extra of a protracted sport, and simply taking issues month by month and yr by yr somewhat than attempting to hurry issues.”
McColgan believes she was in “one of the best form of her life” earlier than she was sidelined, having simply damaged Radcliffe’s 21-year-old British 10,000m file and enhancing her personal British half-marathon mark in Berlin.
She finally had knee surgical procedure and whereas her focus is now on highway racing, the 2026 Commonwealth Video games in Glasgow – the place there shall be no highway occasions – stays at the back of her thoughts.
“I discovered rather a lot from 2023. Now I simply need to ensure that I construct issues up steadily, do issues correctly, and I simply need longevity in my profession,” she stated.
“I nonetheless imagine that this subsequent Olympic cycle I could be at my greatest. I nonetheless suppose I can get quicker over 5k and 10k.
“However actually the marathon is a long-term mission. I’m going to only attempt to be taught as a lot as I can from this course of, after which attempt to implement that over the following few years to see how I bridge the hole in direction of a 2:09 or no matter loopy time they’ve run by then.”