INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we interviewed two of our elite female athletes, Eilish McColgan and Eloise du Luart, to discuss how training/competing has transformed their lives and how they have overcome certain challenges being a women.

WHAT SPORT DO YOU DO?

ELOISE: Triathlon, I compete professionally over the IRONMAN 70.3 distance.

EILISH: Athletics. I currently race distances from 5K to Half Marathon on both the track and roads, and I hope to run my first Marathon in 2024.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN YOUR SPORT?

ELOISE: I have done sport all my life, even from a young age it was my avenue to express myself and just be myself, think it helped I was very competitive and always wanted to be better.

EILISH: Both of my parents were professional athletes. And despite my mum being a World Champion, it was actually my PE teacher who entered me for my first race, and I absolutely loved it.

WHAT WERE THE MAIN BARRIERS WHEN YOU STARTED AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?

ELOISE: I didn’t really experience any barriers as I have done it from a young age, however there have been definite comments about how and what I should do as a female athlete from male coaches, vs. what is actually right for my body. 

EILISH: I was extremely unconfident as a kid. I never believed I was good enough and didn’t feel like I looked like other kids growing up, being so tall and lanky. But sport gave me an avenue to start appreciating my body and what it can achieve, rather than what it looks like. I was fortunate to have some great friends at my local running club and even better support from my parents.

HOW DO YOU THINK TRAINING/RACING HAS MADE YOU MORE CONFIDENT?

ELOISE: Totally. It has allowed me to really just be myself and explore what I love with others.

EILISH: I like the feeling of improvement. Running is tough for everyone at the start. But week by week, if you are consistent, you can start to see small glimmers of progress and that is what gives me greater confidence. I need to see it and feel it in training before it starts to reflect in my racing. Being consistent is key!

HOW DO YOU BALANCE WORK LIFE, TRAINING AND FAMILY

ELOISE: I have quite a strict time schedule I create each week to ensure I don’t miss anything off the to-do list, whilst ensuring as a professional athlete, training is still the priority. If the to-do list is ticked off, I can focus on nailing every session and relaxing after to maximise recovery.

EILISH: Alongside my own training, I run an online coaching business with my partner, coaching runners around the world. I also run a not-for-profit in Scotland, supporting young female athletes and starting up free athletics clubs in schools. It can be a little full on at times, but I love what I do and I’m incredibly passionate about my sport. There are times where the balance does tip over a little, but I’ve become more aware of those burnout signs and will make changes before it gets too much. My family completely understand my job, and although it means much of my year is spent away from them, I’m grateful to be able to keep in touch via WhatsApp etc.

WHAT DOES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY MEAN TO YOU?

ELOISE: I think for me it is a celebration of everything it means to be a woman, who we are and collectively what we have & can achieve. It is a reminder, that not only on this day, but everyday women have a right to be heard, supported and seen as equals.

EILISH: It’s a day where we recognise and celebrate some of the incredible women that are in our lives – past and present.

HAVE YOU FACED ANY CHALLENGES BEING A FEMALE IN YOUR SPORT?

ELOISE: The constant commentary on body image, and size of certain female athletes [including myeld] from people who do not have the right to comment or interfere is certainly still a pressing issue. Not only does it affect athletes’ self-esteem and possibly lead to other complications if they try to change their bodies, but also girls may be self-conscious about doing certain sports or going to the gym; this should not still be happening, to anyone. 

EILISH: I’d say the biggest challenge is dealing with trolls and constant comments on my appearance and body shape. Men don’t seem to be subjected to the same scrutiny. It’s always about how we look rather than our performances.

ARE THERE ANY FEMALE ATHLETES THAT INSPIRED YOU AS A CHILD, WHY THEM?

ELOISE: I think my biggest female inspirations were my sports teachers. I think the encouragement always to keep trying and never treating me or my peers as weaker or less capable. There was no such thing as “good for a girl” or “you can’t do that because you are a girl”. For that I am super thankful, it meant that I could be inspired by anything and try to embrace it, maybe why I compete in elite sport now as anything is possible if you want it. 

EILISH: My mum is my biggest role model. It’s not until I became an adult myself that I realised just how incredible of a woman she is. To be at the peak of her career yet decide to start a family was a really ballsy thing to do. She was dropped by her major sponsor, gave birth in 1990 and by 1991, less than a year after having me, became WORLD Champion. She’s just incredible.

WHAT DO YOU RECOGNISE TO BE THE PUBLIC IMAGE AND REPUTATION OF ELITE WOMEN’S SPORT, DO YOU THINK IT’S CHANGING FOR THE BETTER?

ELOISE: I hope. I think it is becoming more apparent to the public what amazing things female athletes can do and they have a right to have their own spotlight, own fans and own   

EILISH: It’s definitely changing, and we can see that with the gradual increase in coverage of women’s sports. More and more, women’s sports are being reported on and being shown on TV or online. We need this trend to continue because there is a demand for it. Young girls must see women’s sport to be inspired. If you can see it, you can be it.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANY FEMALE WHO IS AFRAID OF EXERCISING/PARTICIPATING IN SPORT?

ELOISE: Find a lovely women’s group and join or ask a friend to start with you. Once you realise you are not alone, supported, and there is a place for you, you won’t turn back. 

EILISH: To focus on you. Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes. And we all have different goals. The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to anyone else. Focus on you and what YOU are hoping to achieve.