We interviewed Olympian Eilish McColgan about her career in
athletics, what she loves about it and what sport can teach the rest of us.
What are the great things about being a professional athlete?
I love being able to travel the world. We don't get the chance to see much when we are at races but every year in my offseason, I take the opportunity to go back somewhere and explore.
It's also nice to be able to call your passion a job. I love
running and feel very fortunate that I get to do something I love every day.
Are there lessons from athletics which you think are helpful to other people?
There are qualities from sport which are important in any walk of life. Athletes learn what's truly important and what's background noise - that comes from years of competing under pressure. We are also good on time management. Most athletes follow a pretty regimented training schedule, so you learn to make the right sacrifices and prioritise the hours in the day for what really matters!
Sport is also a great way to build determination and the
ability to bounce back. There are so many times you will be knocked to rock
bottom and have to climb back up to the top again!
Do you think running is a sport for everyone?
Definitely. You don't have to be running a 5-minute mile to be a runner. It's the easiest way to keep fit and healthy, and all you need is a pair of trainers and to head outdoors! It's amazing how many people feel they hate running but actually when they stick at it for a few weeks they begin to love it.
Lindsays has sponsored Eilish since 2013. You can read her regular blogs here.
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