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. Ive 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 youd asked me even two months ago, I would have said Im not going to make it to the Europeans, she says. But my fitness has improved over the last four weeks. Its 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 now confident enough to race.

It feels a little strange, like going into championship not on top form. Of course, theres a lot of nerves. I feel maybe a little bit vulnerable. Its probably the first championship Ive ever gone into not thinking that Im in personal best or record shape or in the shape of my life. Its a stepping stone towards proving fitness and form for the Olympic Games.

Everything was going so well for McColgan until spring last year. She broke Paula Radcliffes British 10,000m record with 30:00.86 in California and then ran a UK half-marathon record of 65:43 in Berlin.

However she had to withdraw from the London Marathon due to a knee injury and struggled for months to get it properly diagnosed a frustrating period where days and weeks on the sidelines soon turned into months.

She says: Ive obviously had a long time out over a year and Im very aware I only have until the end of June to show fitness and form. There arent a huge amount of races around. So, Im just hoping that this (Rome) will be a competitive enough performance to show that Im on that trajectory towards Paris.

Its eight weeks after the Europeans and I can get another big block of training, then I have just as much right to be on that UK team alongside Megan and maybe even Jess (Warner-Judd) for Paris.

Putting the injury spell in perspective, McColgan says she had seven years previously of relatively injury-free running where she qualified for multiple championships. Injuries, she says, are inevitable when training as an elite distance runner.

After a year on the sidelines, though, she is keen to get back into action. The injury hasnt been the only set-back in recent months either. After her mum Lizs husband died, she lost her gran on her mothers side of her family last month. Consequently, she will be wearing a bracelet in Rome that her gran gave her for inspiration.

She was a huge supporter of mine. She was always watching me on the TV. As soon as any race that was on TV, she would have it on.

On the brighter side, McColgan was delighted that her stepsister Hannah Nuttall made the GB team for Rome, finishing 10th in Fridays 5000m final.

Its the first team myself and Hannah have actually ever done together, she says. And shes made massive steps forward this year. And I have absolutely no doubt thats because shes gone through a tough time. Thats what happens in running when youre pushed into a corner or youre upset and finding stuff really tough. A lot of people turn to their training and turn to the running as a bit of a release. You often see that with athletes.

Her mum Liz will also be in Rome, a city she competed in back in 1987 when fifth in the world 10,000m final won by Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway. I cant explain what my mum has been through over the last so many months to lose her husband and then to lose her mum, she says.

My mum being in Rome is really unusual. She would normally be working but shes taken a little bit of time off to, to come out. So shes going to come out with my partner Michael (Rimmer) and they will come and watch me in the stadium and hopefully then come to Paris.

McColgan knows she will not be at her best on Tuesday night but she is getting stronger every day as she rediscovers her fitness. She is also realistic to know she will struggle to keep up with Keith due to the Night of the 10,000m PBs winner being almost 40 seconds quicker than anyone else in the field on paper. Shes having an incredible breakthrough, says McColgan on Keith. Shes in the position Id love to be in right now at the top of her game, in the form of her life.

On her own likely performance, McColgan adds: There will probably be people sitting at home watching on the TV and on their sofas going, Oh, god, shes nowhere near where she used to be. Or shes getting old or whatever. But theyve not had to live the last year that Ive lived.

Ive worked so hard to get to this point. It its like a little reward to be honest to be able to say that Ive made another GB team. I still believe I can be competitive at a European level and its a massive stepping stone then to show that Im on the right path for Paris because Paris is the ultimate goal.

I want to make a fourth Olympic Games and then come off with that as a springboard into road racing for the rest of the year.