Eilish McColgan to follow in mum Liz's footsteps with London Marathon 2022 attempt

Eilish McColgan will make her London Marathon debut on October 2 – 26 years after mum Liz won the 1996 race.

The 31-year old has decided the time is right after setting new British records for 5K, 10K and 10 miles.

London Marathon boss Hugh Brasher said: “We’re all looking forward to watching Eilish follow in her mum’s footsteps and seeing if she can translate her incredible form over the shorter distances on the road to the marathon."

McColgan, who last month went second behind Paula Radcliffe in the all-time GB 10,000m rankings with 30:19.02, said: "I've known for a very long time that this was where my career would go - and my mum and my dad I think have known even longer! From being a young kid they've always said the Marathon was where I'd end up.

"But because I started on the track as a 3,000m steeplechaser I felt it was a world apart. Competing over less than two miles on the track to then going 26 miles on the road felt like too big a jump.

"But the way I've progressed through the distances I now feel ready. I have the confidence. I feel this is the path my career was meant to take."

McColgan set a new British 5k record just weeks after recovering from Covid at the Asics META: Time: Trials event in April.

The Scot broke her own record set in the UAE back in February to post a time of 14:45 in Malaga, Spain.

It's a remarkable achievement from Asics athlete McColgan, who was laid up with Coronavirus only weeks before her race.

She followed up that feat with another record in Manchester the following month, this time in the 10k.