She\u2019s also had to adapt her usual pre-race training routine, after a toe injury she picked up at this year\u2019s London Marathon forced her to stop running for 6-8 weeks. <\/p>\n
\u2018The build-up to this race has been very different,\u2019 she tells Women\u2019s Health. \u2018I\u2019ve not been able to do my normal running at all \u2013 everything has had to be on the cross trainer \u2013 and a lot of the focus has been on rehabbing and getting stronger in the gym.\u2019 <\/p>\n
Why McColgan incorporates low-impact training<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the kind of setback that could put another athlete off their game, but McColgan is no stranger to incorporating low-impact training<\/a> into her routine. <\/p>\n In 2011, at the very start of her career, she was forced to undergo foot surgery which led to her having five screws and a metal plate placed in her left foot. It was a big hurdle to overcome: one doctor even told her she wouldn\u2019t ever run again after the surgery. <\/p>\n Of course, that\u2019s not been the case \u2013 in large part due to McColgan\u2019s determination to find a training approach that works for her and her body, no matter what that looks like. <\/p>\n \u2018Since 2011 I\u2019ve incorporated quite a lot of cross training and low-impact training into my routine, even when I\u2019m fully fit and healthy,\u2019 she explains. <\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s very easy to compare yourself to other athletes, and some are doing double runs pretty much every day and covering up to 130 miles a week \u2013 crazy, crazy mileage. But I think very early on in my career I realised I\u2019m not going to be someone who is able to do that. I knew I\u2019d have to train a little bit differently and be a bit more smart with how I operate.\u2019 <\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t mean running isn\u2019t still a big part of McColgan\u2019s training routine \u2013 in fact, during a normal training block she runs six days a week, alongside evening cross training sessions and time spent in the gym focusing on her core and leg strength. <\/p>\n How she uses running as a form of stress relief <\/p>\n For McColgan, running isn\u2019t just something that helps her compete at her best \u2013 it’s one of the most valuable tools she uses to look after her mental health. <\/p>\n \u2018For me, running has always been a form of stress relief,\u2019 she says. \u2018From a very young age I\u2019ve enjoyed being outdoors in the fresh air \u2013 it’s where all my worries seem to disappear. I think it\u2019s no surprise that during times in my life when I\u2019ve dealt with high amounts of stress, my running has taken off, and I\u2019ve had a breakthrough in performance.\u2019 <\/p>\n This experience isn\u2019t uncommon. New research from the health insurance provider Bupa<\/a> \u2013 the Official Global Healthcare Partner to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games \u2013 found that 66% of people think sports and exercise are the most effective way to maintain good mental health, while 71% think sport can help people overcome mental health challenges. <\/p>\n Why these Games are so important<\/p>\n The research also found that 27% of people cite money as the biggest barrier when it comes to increasing opportunities to play sport \u2013 something McColgan is actively working to improve with her non-profit organisation, Giving Back To Track<\/a>. <\/p>\n The organisation, which she set up following the last Commonwealth Games, aims to inspire kids in Scotland to stay active and provide monetary support for hopeful young athletes. <\/p>\n Already, the scheme has supported plenty of young athletes on their journeys, and some of the recipients will compete alongside McColgan at this year\u2019s games. <\/p>\n It\u2019s a sign of the legacy McColgan has built both on and off the track; a \u2018proper full-circle moment\u2019, as she described it in a recent Instagram post<\/a>, especially as she was hoping to compete at the Commonwealth Games for what she said will be the \u2018last\u2019 time. <\/p>\n \u2018I think this will be an important championship for a lot of younger athletes coming through,\u2019 she says. \u2018We get to represent Scotland, which only gets to happen at these games, once every four years. The Commonwealth Games will always have a really special place in my heart.\u2019 <\/p>\n One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women\u2019s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo<\/a> exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan \u2013 created exclusively for Women\u2019s Health COLLECTIVE members \u2013 you\u2019ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.<\/p>\n
![\"oyinda](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cca1331b-db01-49e2-b8d6-e4e85657b4ba.jpg\" "\\"oyinda")
![\"Headshot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785230355_431_59c04777-8640-419f-ad22-0bcab5c6f143.jpg\" "\\"Headshot")
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