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Eilish McColgan
176 Plays4 days ago
In this episode, Eilish McColgan speaks to Michelle from her training base in France about her year so far, recent challenges, and future ambitions. Eilish reflects on the unusual build-up to her London Marathon debut, recovery afterwards, and her current focus on training for the Great North Run in September.
Eilish discusses the impact of weather conditions on her London performance, how she adjusted training and recovery afterward, and her excitement about returning to racing. She shares insights into her day-to-day life as a professional runner, including her training structure, nutrition habits, and the importance of recovery and mental well-being.
Eilish also opens up about her relationship with her mum Liz McColgan, and the invaluable support she receives from her fiancé, Michael.
Image credit: @michealrimmer8
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Transcript
Intro
Introduction and Life in France
00:00:27
UKRunChat
Hi Ailish, thank you so much for joining us today. and So you're out in France at the moment, aren't you? for Yeah, for the last couple of years now. So I'm sort of a bit of a long way from home.
Recent Running Highlights and Training Changes
00:00:44
UKRunChat
Yeah, and it's it's been a big year for you already, hasn't it? um So you're just about to, you're kind of working up to the Great North Run, aren't you, in know in a few weeks' time? Yeah, London Marathon was the main priority for the year.
00:01:00
UKRunChat
um had a little bit of a rush to build into that, so didn't feel like I got 100% out of myself on that day. So it's been, yeah, a bit of a different year for me. You know, and normally this time year I'd be preparing on track and I'd be like sort of peak racing season and I'd be going from race to race and then going to the Worlds. But obviously with doing London in April, yet the whole season sort of flipped
Influence of Ailish's Mother
00:01:21
UKRunChat
on its head. So the next big one for me is I've had holiday, a of downtime, and then I've been building up training now ahead of Pete and Grand Front, which is going to be the next big one for me on 7th of September.
00:01:33
UKRunChat
Yeah, so what are you hoping for there? are you Are you kind of happy to share that with us or are you you keeping it to yourself what your goals are? Yeah, it's a little bit unknown just because I've, as I said, I've sort coming back from, and yeah, some downtime and then just building up, we're actually building up training. So it's hard to sort of know where my fitness is over the the half distance at this moment in time. I've still got a good solid, like this next five-week walk will be really, really important to try and push that on. But yeah, last year there was six of us in like a ah crazy sprint to the to finish line to take the win. And I think I was only a couple of, so like a second or so off of,
00:02:13
UKRunChat
off of winning it so obviously I'd love to try and be on the podium again but yeah deep down it would be obviously be a a huge achievement to to actually win in the race something my mum's done several years and yeah a long time ago now it was something she's done in the past so it's always been a race that yeah one day I'd love to try and try and win yeah is that kind of a is that something that you're always thinking about is is there a bit of family competition there between you and your mum
00:02:43
UKRunChat
To
Ambassadorship and Unique Race Experiences
00:02:43
UKRunChat
be honest, not really. I think for me, I wouldn't be where I am without my mum, to be honest. So it's definitely more of a my team feeling. like When I stand in the start line, I know that I'm doing it for ah family, my partner. enjoy There's a lot of people.
00:02:59
UKRunChat
I've put a lot of energy into this. So it's definitely more of a team effort. like When I cross the line, I feel like I've achieved it and yeah because of my mum. She's there. put it with me.
00:03:10
UKRunChat
So same thing when I so broke the British records and European records, I feel like we've both done not just down to me. So it's just that, yeah, it's not the way I can describe it really.
00:03:21
UKRunChat
I'd say it's more of a team effort and it's nice to sort of feel like you've made them proud essentially. Yeah, that's that's lovely. And I guess she's been there the whole way through your career as well, hasn't she, helping you along?
00:03:36
UKRunChat
Yeah, obviously from a very young age. I mean, my mum's sort been the only coach really that I've ever had from a young age. Obviously, I joined the club, the Dundee Hawk Harriers, and I started doing high jump and javelin and long jump.
00:03:50
UKRunChat
But when I really started to knuckle down and decide that it was sort of the distance races, 800 metres, 1500 is what I started off at. and Yeah, my mum was the one who started coaching me and we built off a little bit of a group and we had athletes from all sort of disciplines, but she's certainly been there for pretty much the vast majority of of my career.
00:04:14
UKRunChat
Yeah, no that's lovely.
Atmosphere of Mass Participation Events
00:04:15
UKRunChat
So with with the Great North Run, and ah what is it that you enjoy about that race? Because you're an ambassador, aren't you, for the Great Run? Yeah. um I mean, there's just something unique about the events themselves. I think they're so well attended. you know, people are very proud of the events too, you know, in their area, particularly events like the Great South Run, Great North Run as well.
00:04:39
UKRunChat
I mean, people are very, very proud to have that race within their hometown. You know, what there's a really good vibe at all the events, but particularly those ones, I think there's something really unique about having sort of 50,000 plus people lining up all doing the exact same course you know it's is such an iconic group that they've had for the last think it was 50 years now or last year the anniversary so you're getting to line up with 50 000 other people there's i've watched sort of my mom race there paul radcliffe on the tv back in the day mo farah you know like there's so many iconic legends and greats of our sport that have taken part in this race and and then here we are following in their footsteps you know of
00:05:23
UKRunChat
tracing the exact same route that they do. and And yeah, just people all ages, all abilities, people raising money, funds for different things. You know, everyone's got their own reasons why they're lining up.
00:05:33
UKRunChat
I just think it's a unique thing. Like, you don't get the chance to do that really in any other sport. I mean, you don't get to rock up to Wimbledon and one three alongside and Andy Murray or Roger Federer or same thing in football. You know, you can't, even if you like to play five-a-side in the weekend, you know you're not rocking up and playing Liverpool or Manchester United and yet,
00:05:53
UKRunChat
In our sport, we all stand on the exact same start line as the people that are at the top of the sport right now, but also the legends of the sport in years past. So there's something really incredible and unique about that. And I think the atmosphere on day is just unmatched.
00:06:10
UKRunChat
Yeah, I've never really thought about it that way before, but you're right. It's it's very unique, isn't it? Do you approach it differently? Do you race that kind of event differently when you're running kind of with the masses, as it were?
00:06:23
UKRunChat
I wouldn't say I approach it any differently. I just think there's a really much different vibe to racing with mass participation events than just doing something on the track. I mean, it's a lot more, think probably intimate is the word I would use.
00:06:38
UKRunChat
Like on the track, there's a constant buzz and a noise but it's not essentially it's maybe not just for you whereas when you're on the road you know people are shouting out your race dip your number and it's just different you know you can hear individual people cheering you on and and wishing you well um think there's something yeah just really special about that i think you get a real boost i think even when you I mean, everyone gets tired in races. I mean, that's just natural, but you do get like a little bit of a motivational boost when you know that people are cheering you on from the sidelines, particularly
Weather Challenges and Resilience
00:07:13
UKRunChat
last year. i mean, the weather was horrendous. and really people want The weather to rain was absolutely battering down on the road.
00:07:20
UKRunChat
I could barely see the road in front of me, and yet people come out from their houses. I mean, they were standing at the side of the motorway cheering us on to the finish. and think you you would only get that sort of thing in the UK you know British people coming out anywhere they're there to sort of cheer on their loved ones and and to watch the race unfold yeah that's such a British thing isn't it yeah we'll hopefully get better weather this year I think the the crowds at the Great North Run make it I think I've done it a few times it was the first ever half marathon that I did and it was such a shock to the system like how how loud it is isn't it must kind of really spur you on
00:07:58
UKRunChat
Yeah, I think obviously last year, because of the weather was so bad, it's particularly for the elite starting off. I know the weather got better towards the end. So i think there was probably a little bit less people out in course
Course Challenges and Training Insights
00:08:08
UKRunChat
than usual. But the year I did it was the year probably years before and it was like a COVID route. So they had to change it And um coming back through tunnel, it was like you went through the tunnel and then came back through the tunnel again.
00:08:22
UKRunChat
the noise in that tunnel was just crazy. I mean, it was so, also so loud to the point where your eardrums are like almost vibrating and a little bit sore just from people cheering. and so it is. it's so It's really, really special to have support and people come out. And as I said, they're they're cheering on their friends, their loved ones, but they're also cheering us up front as well, which is really nice.
00:08:42
UKRunChat
And it does. It just makes it, it gives you a real boost, I think, when things get tough. Because as I said, there are always at points in the race where you start to doubt yourself or feel sorry for yourself or get tired and yeah I think it's really the crowds that help sort of build that morale and sort of get you to the finish line.
00:08:58
UKRunChat
Yeah definitely. what's your What's kind of the most challenging part of the course for you? I remember there's a hill at about kind of mile 10, 11 that I always found quite tough. What's what's the toughest bit for you?
00:09:11
UKRunChat
I actually found the downhill section at the very, very end, going on to the final stretch alongside Shields was tough just because it's such an aggressive downhill. um And especially when there was obviously six of us sort of battling at that point in the race.
00:09:26
UKRunChat
Yeah, the the the downhill then turn on to that final stretch. It was tough, I think, just mentally for me, I think, at that point. I'm almost thinking, especially in the rain, I was thinking, God, don't slip, don't fall, don't, like, deck it around this corner, you know, I wanted to make sure that I made to the final stretch out of harm's way.
00:09:47
UKRunChat
I'd say that, for me, was probably the tougher bit. Obviously, there's, it's quite a rolling hill of a course, which I didn't mind too much. I think the fact that it is rolling, it allows you to, you know, there are some tough hills in there, but you do get nice downhills to sort of straight after them.
00:10:05
UKRunChat
So you're not always continuously climbing, which I think would make the event really tough. So I know a lot of people run PVs on it. It's a fast course on the right day. and But there's nothing quite like that final section along, like literally the final one mile.
00:10:21
UKRunChat
straight shot right towards the finish line along that bottom road it's um yeah it's quite an iconic finish and it's uh a really fun one as i said the crowds come out both sides of the road it's yeah really good atmosphere yeah it's so special oh well yeah well best of luck with that one and so what what will your next five weeks of training look like is there any kind of key sessions you'll be getting in to make sure you're race ready Yeah, there will be. There'll be probably sort of two key sessions for me will be and ah good chunk of key reps that I'll do on the track and then same with probably mile reps too. I'll start off with keys and then over the next couple weeks we'll try and build up towards mile reps. Yeah.
00:11:02
UKRunChat
But yeah, i mean I'm still keeping on the track. I think it's really important to sort of like higher quality stuff, the faster work that I get done. i know obviously I'm racing on the roads, but I think it is still really good for speed and just consistency and quality of training to be on the track. So those sort of key sessions will actually be done. and Yeah, just on the track, being shown on flat surface and just getting the most out of the the speed side of things.
00:11:27
UKRunChat
and Obviously another thing is just building up long runs again, coming back from some time off. and and just had to start building those up. You know, wasn't running over probably six miles for the first couple of weeks training back and then you build up to sort of 10 mile, 12 mile.
00:11:43
UKRunChat
um So now hopefully getting up towards consistently like 15, 16 mile long runs. and So yeah, just, I suppose pretty much the same old to be honest. It's not a huge change.
00:11:56
UKRunChat
and other than just trying to gain fitness as much as I can over these next five weeks. It will be really important to try and stay as healthy as I possibly can, not pick up any bugs or illnesses and no niggles or injuries. and Much good over this next five-week walk.
00:12:12
UKRunChat
Yeah. So how how was recovery after London? Because that was a magnificent debut, by the way. Like, well done. We were all rooting for you because that must have been so tough because you were pretty much out there in London on your own, weren't you?
00:12:23
UKRunChat
Yeah. Yeah, I didn't obviously expect it to be way. I didn't, I suppose I hadn't really imagined that scenario at any point. You I thought there would just be yeah, some sort of group around or I'd be able to run with a group in front or there'd be a group behind or, you know, just assumed there would be enough people. and But yeah, it was a tough solo slog. As I said, I didn't expect it.
00:12:50
UKRunChat
I think obviously what made it tough as well was the weather. We'd come from training in Colorado in the snow. to then go to like 20 odd degrees was a bit of a shock to the system but it was just a really unusual you know we we hadn't had that sort of weather we weren't predicted to have that weather at any other time other than literally that weekend and so i think that's probably why a lot of people really struggled you know when i looked at it i was a little bit disappointed at the end of that but having looked at the men's results and the women's results are the winners everyone was down on
00:13:25
UKRunChat
what they were hoping for. You know, I spoke to Alex Yee and he was way down on what he thought. I spoke to pretty much all the elite men and women and everyone said the same thing, that they just weren't quite, and yeah, weren't quite able to get out what they thought that they had in them.
00:13:40
UKRunChat
So I don't know that was the weather, it was just the conditions, whatever it was. But and yeah, it was still a fun one to do. I still had a really good atmosphere. And again, from start to finish, the support was incredible. There's, I think it's,
00:13:52
UKRunChat
really special being a British athlete and actually racing in the UK. Yeah, it's yeah's I think when you know that everybody's rooting for you and calling out your name on the course as well, that must be really special.
00:14:03
UKRunChat
It's good that you mentioned there that you didn't kind of rush straight back into running. I think that's important for the normal runner to see that, you know, you do need some recovery time, don't you? So what does recovery look like for you? You said you weren't doing long runs straight away and then you took some time out, didn't you?
00:14:19
UKRunChat
Yeah, I mean, to be honest, for the week after London, I did nothing at all because I couldn't. My legs were just an absolute mess. I ended up having quite bad cramp early on in the race, so and don't know if that was, yeah, just the weather, probably maybe not taking it. got so worked up about taking on gels and carbs and making sure i it was getting enough carbs in, I probably didn't think about electrolytes and actual water intake. You know, I was just so focused on...
00:14:47
UKRunChat
getting the gels in and making sure that had enough energy that I'd probably get to the detriment of electrolytes perhaps. But yeah, I cramped up really early in both quads.
00:14:59
UKRunChat
So was it to me was a miracle I even managed not to actually make it to the
Personal Life and Engagement Story
00:15:02
UKRunChat
very end. But obviously on the back of that, it almost like a slight strain then because you, you know, you push so hard on a muscle that's been a little bit angry.
00:15:11
UKRunChat
So that first week I just had the worst doms. I was barely making it from the toilet to my bed. That was as far as I was walking. And um then second week I sort of tried to bring in a bit more like, I was actually run walking, and to be honest, again, for the same reason. I just was trying to build up, trying to reduce the sort of domes that i had and just build up them my running very, very slowly.
00:15:38
UKRunChat
we were on holiday too, so it was good timing. You know, I didn't feel like and needed to get out the door and go training. I was just taking it really, really slowly. it probably took me a good month before i started building in getting more into like a normal week and actually building in um an interval session you know a fartlek session and sort of building things up but it was probably a good five weeks maybe until i did a first long run which again wouldn't been very long it might have been don't know 12 miles maybe i definitely didn't go over that for quite good few weeks and it is literally only the last i'd say
00:16:18
UKRunChat
probably the last three, four weeks of training to now that we've built up to, um, not quite the same volume of marathon training, but what I would call relatively normal training for me. So it's been a, yeah, it's been a long process, I think a long build to where we are now.
00:16:36
UKRunChat
but I was in no rush, you know, I think I wanted to make sure I was, built towards london was a little bit rushed so i wanted to make sure now that we took the time to yeah just take things day by day and week by week and not rush into things yeah no that's that's really reassuring and i think it's a great message to put out there um and congratulations by the way cause she got engaged didn't you on holiday yeah we did when we were in japan so yeah that was really special we had obviously it it was a surprise so um I didn't expect to go out there. I had to gone out there actually to do a sponsor event and a photo shoot and some PR around, yeah,
Race Preparation and Fitness Assessment
00:17:13
UKRunChat
their new shoes. And so it just, yeah, it was a complete surprise then to have such special memories there. So it's, yeah, really nice for us. We ended up going straight on holiday from there. and So yeah, the timing was nice. we were doing nothing. We just could chill out and relax for a good week and a bit afterwards. So yeah, it was really, really special. Yeah, that's nice. And you've only just done your first kind of proper race back, haven't you as well?
00:17:39
UKRunChat
Was that in Berlin? Yeah, just the other day, literally just last weekend. So as I said, it's been quite early days with regards to actually getting into proper training. Probably had three, four weeks up here.
00:17:53
UKRunChat
and yeah, we just wanted to sort of do a race to sort see where I'm at. I suppose that's the only thing I can say. I just wanted to do something it's hard when you've, yeah, just been sort of training away, but not fully training. You're building up. So it's nice to sort do a race and just, yeah, get a bit of a marker in the sand and then say, right, okay, we build from this and we sort push on from here. And knowing that I had, it was six weeks then to Great North, it was like, right, now's time really knuckle down into training and, and,
00:18:27
UKRunChat
see what we can, yeah, what fitness we can build within those next six weeks. Yeah, that's great. and So what does kind of, you're training at the moment, what's a typical day training look like for you in terms of kind of how much you're running, like when are you, what kind of stuff are you eating, that sort of thing?
00:18:44
UKRunChat
Really interested to kind of just get an insight into what what an elite athlete does.
00:18:50
UKRunChat
Yeah, so, mean, I don't follow a strict diet in any way. I know that some athletes are really particular of what they eat, but, I mean, I'm also naturally very lean. So, for me, the last thing I need to be doing is following a diet. So, I'm probably version on the edge of, and yeah, professional athlete.
00:19:13
UKRunChat
I mean, I still have crisps every day for a snack. I still have chocolate every day for snack. biscuits every day pretty much but i just think about the volume that i'm training you know training hard every single day say six days a week have a rest day every week um But I'm also training at altitude as well. So the stress on the body is just a lot more.
00:19:36
UKRunChat
And as I said, I'm naturally lean. So for me, it's harder to but on weight probably than it is to to lose. I essentially just stay this weight all year round regardless of what eat. So for me, is it's pretty chilled out. We're very relaxed with eating. The only thing that probably stays the same every day is breakfast. I have porridge with milk and berries.
00:19:57
UKRunChat
and and some science of sport protein in there pretty much every single morning like that is my breakfast wherever i am in the world the same breakfast for race day for training for everything um like to keep that the same um but then yeah lunch and evening meals were just whatever's in the supermarket to be companies yeah whatever you fancy for themarke a mixture of meat a mixture of vegetables a mixture of carbs whether be pasta rice potatoes like we're really really flexible and not stuck to like oh i have to eat this before training session or anything like that i'm very very relaxed with it and it works for me i mean it won't work for everyone you know some people really do need to be anal and very precise what they eat but i'm just happy living like this i'm happy living flexible and eating to extend whatever i want um and i think
00:20:50
UKRunChat
Being a happy runner is far more important than anything
Transition from Track to Road Racing
00:20:53
UKRunChat
else. I think being a happy runner will lend to being a fast runner in the end. Training wise, we're looking at a pretty basic schedule, like obviously having a day off every week, long run, as I said at the moment, building up 15, 16 miles. Today was 16 actually, but it about killed me.
00:21:13
UKRunChat
So I might have to go back to sort of 14, for now. and trying to get in sort of two interval sessions on the track and it could be anywhere from at the moment we've been trying to do a little bit faster work so the other day that was five by a k but i mean as a building towards the the half the and hopefully another marathon further down line that could be up to 15k 15 by a k so it just it completely varies to be honest week by week we try and keep it again a real mixture of training so i'm not just doing
00:21:47
UKRunChat
and the same sessions over and over again. We obviously repeat sessions, but we have a real mix of say 10K work or 10K pace work going into then half marathon type work. and I'm obviously moving away from the track. So the spikes have sort of been relegated now. They're not quite, I'm not hitting the same sort of,
00:22:07
UKRunChat
and shorter say 3k or 1500 type sessions as I would have been doing when I was much younger but everything's just a little more elongated you know longer tempos longer runs longer efforts as we build obviously towards the half but then ultimately ah another marathon in the future yeah so is that is that the goal then I was going to ask because you've tried pretty much every distance now haven't you and you know what what's your favorite so far where do you think you'll stick um to be honest I mean my favorite is probably still
00:22:38
UKRunChat
being on a track just because it's the feeling of running fast. I think everyone loves that, you know, when you're at your absolute top form and you're just flying around a track, but I mean, if I could be a 1500 metre runner, I would be. should If I could stick at that event and make a living from it and be one of the best in the world, then of course I would. I think everyone would always choose the shorter distances if they could.
00:23:00
UKRunChat
But ultimately, I'm just, I'm not fast enough. So that's what happens. You move up in distance and you you move up to find something that you're more suited to. and I think, so that's just like a personal feeling of like the speed of fit at it. I can't explain it. When you're,
00:23:16
UKRunChat
Yeah, I don't know, it's hard to explain. I think I just enjoy that feeling of like being super fast and flying, like you almost feel like you're flying. and But there's a big difference then on the road. It's something that i probably enjoy more just with regards to the races are much fun, much more fun, like doing 10Ks and half marathons on the road or just, as I said, the atmosphere of these events is unmatched. You don't quite get that same atmosphere on the track.
Marathon Experiences and Emotional Impact
00:23:43
UKRunChat
and so yeah, it's it's hard to decide. I think I'm torn between the two. The two are very, very different. Um, obviously I only have one marathon experience, which wasn't, wasn't the most fun body wise, but actually like if i take away the fact I was feeling rotten, it was actually obviously an op incredible experience. As i said, people cheering from mile one to the very, very end.
00:24:06
UKRunChat
And even to be honest afterwards, it was even emotional watching other people cross the finishing line. Like I was doing interviews and um had to do something on the the bbc afterwards and we were open like a little box and you see people cross the finish line and it's actually really emotional i mean it's complete strangers crossing the line and yet you're like tearing up because you just see how much it means to them you know they're crossing the line at five hours six hours but people are They're emotional too. You know, you can see them see the finish line and what it means to them. People were getting know their selfies. People were calling their loved ones so as they crossed the finish line. Like it's just that side of things was really, really cool. And I think that's probably why i enjoyed it so much. I think the whole, it's just the whole day to be honest, the whole weekend can is something really special of those events. So yeah, not so much running it, not too much fun and actually taking part in marin but the but yeah, everything around it is is pretty cool.
Future Marathon Goals
00:25:01
UKRunChat
So you've not ruled out another marathon then. So what where where are your goals then heading forward since the next year? you thought about that yet? be honest, I haven't thought about it too far ahead.
00:25:12
UKRunChat
As I said, it was a little bit rushed into London because I'd missed the previous London with injury. i just mentally was like, I need to get to the start line. So had, yeah, maybe you played it a little bit safer with regards to training. and I wasn't...
00:25:26
UKRunChat
and me perhaps hitting the mileage that probably need to in order to be running a good marathon and a fast one so there was a lot of lessons learned but I think we did the right thing you know I wanted to make sure that I made it and finished the race without any problems and that was a and we achieved that goal but I think for the next one you know I really want to make sure that I'm prepared properly for it you don't want to be just rushing into it and and doing it because I feel like I need to do it you know i want to make sure that I am 100% ready for it and trained accordingly and feels strong and ready to run fast so I'd love to obviously run under 220 there's not I don't think there's any other than Paula that has ever run under 220 so that's a huge goal obviously just personally even with regards to European athletes as well and even Americans to be honest it's there's not many that have run under 220 before so it's a big big barrier you know it almost feels like
00:26:25
UKRunChat
the, I don't know, the four-minute mile from the end back in the day, jo I think that's we have that sort of two-to-many barrier, it's like something in a lot athletes' heads that they really would love to achieve one day. and So that ultimately is the first goal. I'd like to see how far under that I can go.
00:26:40
UKRunChat
i still believe my best marathon days are ahead of me i think i learned an awful lot uh from this one even with regards to not just the training but even the fuel inside of things you know it's completely new to me i've never had to do that on the track i would just have my breakfast take a snack and go run and that would be it but the marathon is like you have to come at it at a completely different way you know the fueling side of things is is really really important so yeah i think i learned a lot but there's also a lot to be learned so the next marathon goal would just be to try and really really nail one and um
00:27:13
UKRunChat
Yeah, looking forward to it. I haven't planned anything at all next year, really. I haven't planned anything past Great North, to be honest. That's the next one. I'm just taking it week by week and month by month at the moment.
Dreams of Iconic International Marathons
00:27:25
UKRunChat
But, yeah, ultimately running a fast marathon is definitely on the to-do list. Yeah, well, we'll be looking with interest and cheering you on with whatever you decide, Eilish. Thank you so much for joining us today.
00:27:36
UKRunChat
Can I just finish, if you don't mind, with a few questions from our listeners? Would you mind? I've got about four questions. Yeah, yeah, all good. So I've got Carmen asks, is there a dream race that you would absolutely like to do that you haven't done before? before Ooh, good question.
00:27:56
UKRunChat
To be honest, I'm very fortunate have done I mean, lot of the British ones like, really iconic. You know, as I said, Great North Rhine's got this iconic route that's lasted 50 years. London Marathon, particularly, obviously, the iconic mall finish is another...
00:28:09
UKRunChat
But yeah, having done that this year, that was a bit of a bucket list. and Maybe it would be the marathon series, to be honest. Maybe it would be in New York, particularly maybe the ones my mum's done, you know, New York and Tokyo. She won those back in the day. So i think both of those are quite special to me.
Youth Training Advice
00:28:25
UKRunChat
and So yeah, perhaps those would be the ones that I'd like to do one day Yeah, okay. and So next I've got Gail. Now she's got two young young sons who are very into running and she wants to know how much did you train in terms of structured training between the ages of 10 and 14, which are the ages of her boys, or was it a lot more fun-based?
00:28:44
UKRunChat
Were you training seriously at that age? It was a lot more fun-based. To be honest, I don't think I was training at 10. I think I joined my club at maybe 11 or 12, and I was doing javelin, high jump, everything, honestly everything, sprint hurdles.
00:29:01
UKRunChat
The thing I probably wasn't doing was It was distance running, I was doing absolutely everything else. Priority was really sprint, jump and throw. Yeah.
00:29:13
UKRunChat
And then I started probably around, yeah, maybe about 12, 13, I went to like 800 metre running and i really enjoyed that. I was training at the club two days a week and and then moved to 1500 probably when i was yeah, a little bit older, maybe 14.
00:29:32
UKRunChat
and But i mean, I didn't run my first 5K until I was about 18 years of age. So it's quite a different generation now to like, we have park runs and stuff now. So I feel like kids are getting introduced to distance running a lot younger. And I don't, to be honest, feel like it really necessary. I think it's so
Favorite Training Locations
00:29:47
UKRunChat
important. Like all young kids of that age should be members of a club.
00:29:51
UKRunChat
They should be going down. They should be trying the javelin, the shot pop, the long jump, you know, try absolutely everything because those ABC skills that you get at the club, and the speed element particularly is what will make like a well-rounded athlete later in life it's so much harder to if you've never ever done speed work and agility and stuff as a kid and you come at the sport later in years like you can always build endurance you know everyone can run further and longer and and get better but not it's so much harder to generate speed like once it's once it's gone it's gone
00:30:26
UKRunChat
So, um yeah, I'd say the focus really should be on just games fun, and just trying absolutely everything. Yeah, lots of variety. Yeah, thank you. and So one from Dan, he says, what's your favourite training location? because you train all over the world, don't you? Yeah, so obviously being in a distance runner at altitude is like really important.
00:30:47
UKRunChat
I'm competing against athletes, obviously from Kenya and Ethiopia, who are being live and born altitude so it's like the next best thing is trying to stay altitude for as long as you possibly we can we have sort of two locations we go between for altitude which would be colorado springs and america and then here in fontaineble france where asic's my main sponsor they have base here so um it's hard to say that they're my favorite places i feel like when i'm here it is really like work work work you know your eat sleep train you don't get the chance to like
00:31:23
UKRunChat
um yeah actually experience that place i'd say of my favorite places to be honest for training was probably sam ritz just because it's so beautiful it really is if you ever get the chance to go there and visit you you're like this is incredible i mean if if i was a if i won the lottery or the euro millions tomorrow that's probably where i'd buy an apartment i mean it's absolutely incredible it just the lakes are like crystal clear and beautiful mountains the weather's a little bit iffy it's very like scotland like at certain times the year but it's just a really beautiful location the paths and everything for training are are incredible and but it's obviously very expensive to stay so and yeah this is we're not there very often unfortunately yeah oh sounds amazing and then last last one from lois she says no question as such but she just wanted me to pass on how much she loves following you on instagram she says
00:32:19
UKRunChat
I love how you keep it real and are so supportive of normal runners and she loves the bond that you and Michael have. It's nice to see that you've got that support team behind the scenes. It's so important, isn't it?
Support Team and Career Management
00:32:30
UKRunChat
Yeah, it is.
00:32:33
UKRunChat
when I when I'm on to camp, it's like eat, sleep, train and you're away for pretty much 11 months of the year away from family and friends. I think in the past, trying to do that on my own was really, really difficult. Even mentally, you don't really notice it until...
00:32:47
UKRunChat
until now to be honest when i look back I think oh that was such a sad existence just being on your own all day in a tiny little studio apartment eat sleep train but like being away from family are away from friends loved ones like just not having any real social interaction whatsoever because you're so focused and channeled on what you're doing and i just don't think it's a yeah it's probably not a healthy way to to live so I think now I'm so fortunate like michael travels with me you know since the pandemic we've been in each other's pockets which is probably quite unusual for a lot of people but he is my best friend so when we're traveling from place to place you don't miss home i don't miss my family as much because he is my family you know he is with me all the time and it's just on the hard days you know when you are tired and it's tough outside you having someone there that's i mean he cycles alongside me on the bike he's pacing me on the track sessions it just makes a big big difference you feel like you're
00:33:41
UKRunChat
you're doing it as a team unit, you know, it's not just you. But obviously, yeah, it has its, I think, difficulties and sacrifices. I think the biggest one, being away from family and friends and missing key moments of of their lives. You know, I can count on one hand and probably the birthdays that I've attended of my siblings and family over the last decade. and But it is my brother's wedding very, very soon. And so I have, in October, where I've got,
00:34:09
UKRunChat
I'm heading back to Scotland for that because if I didn't, I think I would actually be punted out of my family. So i will make sure that I've got that date set in stone, to be honest, for the last year and a half that have
Advice for Great North Run Participants
00:34:21
UKRunChat
to be. yeah If there was any race, anything, it's like, nope, I'm going be in Scotland for that event. So when yeah, that'll be an important one. Yeah. ah Well, thank you so much for your time today, Eilish. It's been lovely chatting to you and best of luck at the Great North Run.
00:34:35
UKRunChat
um Any kind of advice for anybody tackling the Great North Run for the first time this year? Yeah, I'd say obviously pace themselves at the start because it and it is a rolling course. So I think it just goes, yeah, it's exciting. I mean, there's always, as I said, there's so many people lining up. this There's just a real adrenaline rush. I think we're on a start line with that many people. But but course does get tough. You know, I think the second half the course is,
00:35:06
UKRunChat
is probably where it starts to hurt just with the distance but also again those rolling hills and but save something for that final little downhill once you're past that downhill it is literally one one final mile to the finish line so absolutely everything you've got I think that's one of the coolest bits for the race to be honest just the fact you can see the finish line in the distance but you have people just lining even though you're being absolutely exhausted by that point I know that the the crowds will get you to the finish line Yeah, they will. Well, thank you so much. It's been lovely chatting to you and all the very best with the Great North Run and the future races.
00:35:43
UKRunChat
Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Right, we're all done. Thank you so much, Aileen.