Athletics: Collette’s ready to face what lies ahead

Jun 10 2009 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

Collette’s ready to face what lies ahead

COLLETTE FAGAN admits the wise words of track queen Liz McColgan have been an inspiration as she fights her way back to the top.

The Coatbridge runner continued her preparations for a marathon in the autumn by finishing in second place in the Edinburgh half-marathon.

The 26-year-old also tasted success in the St Andrew’s Hospice 10K at Strathclyde Country Park after crossing the line as first woman home.

Collette, who infamously collapsed on the track at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, feared her career was over when she suffered a broken foot a couple of years ago during a training stint in Portugal.

But she has negotiated the long, challenging path to rehabilitation without enduring any further injury setbacks and is confident her body will cope with the demands of a marathon.

Collette is planning on competing in either the Berlin Marathon in Germany or Amsterdam Marathon in Holland.

And if she makes it to the start line, she will be thankful for the support given by coach McColgan who has helped her back to full fitness.

“The races have been going well and my results have been very encouraging,” Collette told the Advertiser. “But I am still working my way back in.

“I have managed to stay injury-free which is the most important thing but it took me longer to get back in shape than I thought it would.

“Liz has been really good with me and it is useful to have someone like her around.

“She has so much experience and I listen to her. Liz is the logical one and can see that I am doing well, even when I can’t.”

Collette flew out to Spain last week to teach kids how to speak English as part of her languages course at Glasgow University.

But she will combine classroom duties over the next two months with a tough training regime designed to have her firing on all cylinders later this summer.

Collette added: “The good road races will be in August and September so I’d like to think the training I will be doing over the next two months will have me in peak condition.

“I am wanting to do a marathon and it will either be in Berlin or Amsterdam. I really can’t wait for the autumn.

“I think I probably need that little bit more time and there have been occasions when it has been frustrating going to top-class events and not finishing high up the field.”