British record-holder tackles European 10,000m in Rome despite not being fully fit after a nightmare injury and family bereavements Following the sudden unexpected death of her stepfather John Nuttall in November, the passing of her grandmother Betty last month, plus an injury-hit spell that has seen her miss six months of running, Eilish McColgan has endured a torrid time lately. “I’ve had such a shit year,” she says in typically blunt fashion. “A really shit year.
” Given this, she is looking forward to getting back into her racing stride in the European Championships 10,000m on Tuesday night in Rome. Making her fourth Olympic team is the goal, too, with her sights set on being the first European finisher in Paris. First she faces 25 laps in the Stadio Olimpico against a line-up that includes in-form fellow Brit Megan Keith.
McColgan, 33, knows she is not at her best after a limited build-up but she is looking forward to getting stuck in and channeling the same spirit that drove her to Commonwealth gold in 2022 and British records from 5000m to the half-marathon. “If you’d asked me even two months ago, I would have said I’m not going to make it to the Europeans,” she says. “But my fitness has improved over the last four weeks.
It’s been a real big step forward.” A couple of months ago she says she was struggling to run a 5:30 mile during a reps session but a solid training stint at altitude in Colorado followed by more work back in Europe means she is.
