British runner Eilish McColgan has revealed the extent of a gruesome injury sustained during the London Marathon on Sunday, describing how part of her foot 'exploded' mid-race. The 35-year-old, daughter of Scottish running legend Liz McColgan, still managed to finish seventh in the women's elite race with a time of 02:24:51, just 26 seconds off her 2025 personal best.
Images from the race showed blood seeping through McColgan's right shoe after her toe ripped open. In an interview shortly after crossing the line, she said: 'Just not long after halfway, I had a really, really bad blister in my foot. The only way I can say it is I felt like my foot just exploded.' She added that she saw a doctor immediately after the race as she could not put any pressure on her foot.
On Monday morning, McColgan took to Instagram to share further details and clear up misinformation. She wrote: 'I've seen a bit of misinformation online regarding my foot so thought I'd clear it up: They weren't new shoes or socks. I've worn them all year for my training and racing with zero issues. They aren't too small and my toenails are totally fine. Part of my toe was ripped open and we aren't sure why it happened as it's never been an issue before.'
McColgan speculated that swollen feet, possibly linked to a purple rash that appeared on her body days before the race, may have contributed. She posted images showing the sole of her right foot with skin detached from the bottom of her fourth toe, as well as a blood-drenched sock and shoe. Despite the injury, she was the fastest European and British finisher, ahead of fellow Brit Rose Harvey who came ninth in 02:26:14. Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa won the women's elite race in 02:15:41.
