Scot clocks 14:45 at ASICS META:TIME:TRIALS event just over a month after catching Covid

Eilish McColgan has set a UK 5km record of 14:45 at the ASICS META:TIME:TRIALS in Malaga.

She bettered her own 5km mark of 14:48 from the UAE back in February and Paula Radcliffe’s 14:51, set at Hyde Park in 2003, while McColgan is also close behind Sifan Hassan’s European 5km record of 14:44.

The Scot’s run in Malaga is the second fastest time set by a Brit over 5km after Beth Potter ran 14:41 at Barrowford last year. The time was recognised by World Athletics but never officially ratified as a record because there weren’t any drugs testers present.

World Athletics rules require “the first passing of urine” to be taken from an athlete for a record to be confirmed so Potter isn’t the official European and British record 5km holder.

European 5000m silver medallist McColgan therefore takes the mantle and is now the British record holder over 5,000m, 5km, women’s only 10km and the half-marathon.

BRITISH RECORD

In the end, the time has been rounded up to 14:45 meaning that it's a British 5km record but not a European record for @EilishMccolgan. https://t.co/EcaKv9FPCG

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 24, 2022

It was likely that the 31-year-old would get close to the record given the flat Spanish course was specifically chosen by ASICS to break personal bests.

“It was a lot of fun today,” McColgan said. “I struggled a little bit at the top because I’m like a giraffe and my legs are a little too long to go round those corners but I felt like I got really good speed and momentum down the straight. By the end of the summer I’d like to break 14:40.

“At the very start of March I caught Covid and I was so surprised on how it floored me. I just thought I’m young and healthy enough but my running took a chunk of time coming back. It’s only been the last 10 days where I’ve felt like I’m getting back to normal and this was a good event to start on the roads. There was a bit less pressure on the roads time wise compared to the track and I’ve hopefully got a good summer ahead.

“We’re obviously in a new generation when it comes to shoes and that obviously translates into records across all distances. I’ve been trying the prototypes over the past year. There’s no better feeling racing the Metaspeed Sky on race day. 

“I feel it’s a natural progression [to go to the marathon] for female distance runners. Obviously my mum has gone from the track to the road and you can include Paula Radcliffe and Grete Waitz as well. It’s scary and I can’t lie when I say that but I enjoyed the half-marathon earlier on this year at a high level.”

McColgan has never run 26.2 miles in her career but given her prolific nature of being like a duck to water when it comes to longer distances on the roads, you wouldn’t put it past her to at least get into the top five on the UK all-time list.

Elsewhere, Welsh half-marathon record holder Charlotte Arter finished fifth in 15:43 and Mohamed Katir came within two seconds of Jimmy Gressier’s European 5km record of 13:18.