Four-time Olympian Elish McColgan’s foot was left covered in blood during Sunday’s London Marathon. The 35-year-old was competing in the women’s race, and despite the injury scare, McColgan still managed to end the race in seventh.
She posted an impressive time of 2:24:51, but halfway through the contest, it looked as if McColgan might have to withdraw. That’s because a blister that had formed on her foot exploded, with the cameras showing her trainer had been soaked in blood.
Speaking after the contest, she explained: “Just not long after halfway, I had a really, really bad blister in my foot. It sounds strange saying it, but the only way I can say it is I felt like my foot just exploded. I just had this massive tear and I thought, what the hell is that?
“It was obviously pretty sore, but for it to happen quite early on, it panicked me a little bit. And yeah, I just felt like I was then running a bit funny. I couldn’t feel pressure through my foot. Part of me was like, am I going to…It’s a long way to make it to 26.2.”
McColgan continued: “I just started to hurt in different areas then as well. So I don’t know if I’m like running funny through it, I assume. Especially I got to like 24 miles and my knee started playing up and sort of went on me a bit. And I thought, God, I can’t get to 24 miles and not finish it at this point. I’m just disappointed with how my body sort of held up there.”
McColgan went on to question whether there was an issue with the trainer, but insisted it was the first time anything like this had happened during her illustrious running career. The daughter of British long-distance runner Liz, added: “I’ve worn them all the time. I don’t know why today my foot decided to be indifferent.
“But I was just covered in blood. I mean, I had to go to see the doctor after the race, I just couldn’t put any pressure through my foot. And it was just, yeah, totally covered in blood. It’s just frustrating. A little bit frustrating to run the same sort of time as I did last year, my debut.”