Eilish McColgan: Data behind a Record-Breaking Debut Marathon

Eilish McColgan took to the streets of London aiming for a strong marathon debut. In her first outing over 26.2 miles, she finished top 10 overall, claimed the British title, and shattered the Scottish Marathon Record by over two minutes.

Her success was no accident. It was the result of meticulous training, smart effort management, and resilience in challenging race conditions. Let’s break down the key factors behind her performance and how you can apply these lessons to your own marathon journey.

Product Worn: PACE 3

Data Analysis Tool: Training Hub

Event: London Marathon

Training Consistency and Base Fitness Build-Up

Eilish spent much of 2024 building back her fitness following knee surgery, so in the months leading up to London, Eilish prioritized a steady, progressive build in her training load. This is a vital metric she keeps a close eye on. Rather than chasing peak sessions too early, she focused on:

• Consistent High Mileage and Training Load Growth: She maintained a high weekly mileage while progressively building her Training Load. This combination built the strength and durability needed for the marathon.

• Building Base Fitness: Her metrics showed consistent improvements in Base Fitness, indicating her body's adaptation to the demands of higher training loads.

• Structured Periodization: The training shows a clear reduction in training load during the final month allowed for sharpening workouts and an effective taper before race day.

Eilish McColgan's Weekly Training Load leading up to London

Over the five months leading into London, her weekly Training Load grew steadily from approximately 1000 to 1400, reflecting a patient, consistent build. In the final month, there was a deliberate drop in load, allowing her to sharpen with key workouts before entering a well-timed taper.

Training Tip: Managing your Training Load over time is key to building durability and avoiding injury. Keep a close eye on your weekly values to avoid any dramatic increases.

Breaking the Scottish Record

Eilish McColgan's Scottish Record Data from her COROS PACE 3

The outcome of her well-balanced training approach, was a Scottish Marathon Record. Eilish crossed the finish line in London over two minutes faster than the previous record.

This achievement adds to her growing list of accolades and her debut marathon success reflected intelligent race execution, and showed that while she may be a first-time marathoner, she has plenty of race experience to rely on.

The Value of Pacing

After just a couple of miles, Eilish found herself running solo. Without a pack to shield her from wind or help with pacing, she relied on her internal sense of effort to guide her. Over the next 15 miles, she maintained an impressively steady rhythm, with her pace varying by only a handful of seconds per mile.

Eilish McColgan's 5K splits thoughout the race

"I was shocked to be on my own from so early in the race, so pacing and checking my splits helped me judge my effort as best I could The crowds were a huge help, keeping me going through the rough times."

Although her pace began to slow in the latter stages of the race, Eilish's heart rate remained securely within her threshold zone for much of the race, showcasing her exceptional ability to control effort and sustain a strong performance.

Training Tip: Solo racing demands a solid understanding of pacing across distances. Practice your race efforts in training, and check out our pacing strategy guide to refine your approach to any race distance. This builds the skills needed for when race-day conditions aren't perfect.

Takeaways for Your Training

Eilish’s marathon success offers valuable lessons you can apply to your own training:

• Prioritize a long build-up: Base Fitness doesn't happen overnight. Start early and be consistent.

• Train with purpose: Balance easy runs with harder sessions to optimize your fitness without overtraining.

• Use your Data: Tools like Recovery Time and Training Load provide valuable feedback to fine-tune your training.

• Plan for solo moments: Even in large races, you might find yourself alone. Training with real-time effort metrics prepares you for this.

Whether your journey is on the streets of London or any city around the world, the principles are the same. Train consistently, listen to your metrics, and believe in the work you've put in.