y: Eilish McColgan targets Paula Radcliffe’s British marathon record but takes a cautious, long-term approach ahead of her London Marathon debut.
Most of Britain’s long-distance running enthusiasts have eagerly awaited Eilish McColgan’s marathon debut and the Scottish star has now confirmed her long-term ambition—breaking Paula Radcliffe’s 22-year-old British record.
The reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion will finally step up to the 42km challenge two years after she initially planned to take on the iconic streets of London.
An injury setback in 2023 derailed those plans, and McColgan has learned from past mistakes, vowing to approach her transition to marathon running with patience and caution.
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Instead of setting immediate record-breaking expectations, the four-time Olympian has adopted a measured approach to her marathon journey, recognizing the need for gradual adaptation to the grueling distance.
“It’s so unrealistic to think I’m going to go in and break Paula Radcliffe’s record on my first attempt,” said McColgan in an interview with BBC.
“That’s nonsense. It just isn’t going to happen. But do I think I’m capable of getting down to those times in the future? Absolutely. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I was.”
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McColgan’s confidence is built on recent successes. Before injury sidelined her, she had already cemented herself as one of Britain’s top distance runners, having broken Radcliffe’s 21-year-old British 10,000m record and improving her own national half-marathon mark in Berlin.
However, her setbacks in 2023 reinforced the importance of long-term planning over rushed ambitions.
“I’m playing more of a long game, and just taking things month by month and year by year rather than trying to rush things,” McColgan admitted.
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Speaking on her injuries and the lessons learned she emphasized the importance of a structured build-up.
“I learned a lot from 2023. Now I just want to make sure that I build things up gradually, do things properly, and I just want longevity in my career,” she said.
Although road racing is now her primary focus, McColgan has not ruled out competing in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, despite the absence of road events in the schedule.
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However, she remains optimistic about improving her performances across shorter distances, even as she shifts to the marathon.
“I still believe that this next Olympic cycle I can be at my best. I still think I can get faster over 5k and 10k,” she said.
“But really the marathon is a long-term project. I am going to just try to learn as much as I can from this process, and then try to implement that over the next few years to see how I bridge the gap towards a 2:09 or whatever crazy time they’ve run by then.”
McColgan’s pragmatic mindset and long-term vision make her one of Britain’s most exciting marathon prospects.
