Commonwealth Games steeplechaser Eilish McColgan misses her mum and mentor

Lone star Eilish McColgan has more than just track obstacles to get over.

Commonwealth Games hopeful Eilish McColgan may have the world at her feet but all she really wants is her mum!

Track legend Liz McColgan brought Eilish and her three brothers and sister up in the Angus town of Carnoustie before getting remarried and moving first to Loughborough and then to Qatar.

As Eilish gears up for a starring role in Glasgow 2014, the 23-year-old admits the separation from mum and mentor Liz is tough.

“Mum lives in Doha now with her new husband and that’s had an impact on my coaching,” Eilish told The Sunday Post.

“We’ll obviously work through it and stay in touch via email and text so we keep that relationship.

“It’s a long way to travel so it’s going to be different, but I’ll make sure I get out at the end of the season just to catch up.”

Liz married former UK Athletics coach John Nuttall in January.

It followed the very public and messy break-up of Liz and first husband Peter’s marriage.

That was tough for Eilish, but she reveals that taking to the track helped her through.

“It’s been a difficult period for my family over the last three or four years,” she confides.

“My mum’s obviously such a large factor being my coach so it has been difficult. But athletics has always allowed me to stay out of things.

“It let me focus on my own agenda and not what was going on with my mum and dad.”

Eilish moved to the specialist training facilities in Leicester-shire to pursue her dream of triumphing in the 3,000m steeplechase.

She’s received invaluable support from the National Lottery, with a personal allowance as well as funding for coaching and equipment.

A total of 1,300 elite athletes are getting backing, helping many towards Glasgow glory.

However, the move has seen Eilish separated from boyfriend Howell and family and friends back in Dundee.

“We used to live together when I was back home but I can count on my hand the number of times I’ve seen him in the past year,” reveals Eilish.

“It puts a strain on the relationship and friendships. I miss my training groups from Dundee. There used to be about 25 of us who’d go to the track every Tuesday and Thursday.

“Now I’m doing all the sessions on my own and it can be hard to get through that. But you have to accept the sacrifices of being a full-time athlete. It’s gone from being a hobby to a job.”

Eilish set off last week for a training camp in Utah, having previously been in sunny Kenya alongside Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe.

But she reveals the chill of coming back from Africa to train in Dundee could have jeopardised her dreams of Comm-onwealth success.

“There was snow, hail and rain so it was a big shock. I fell ill. I caught a virus and it’s 100 times worse when you’re an athlete and trying to train.

“The ultimate nightmare is getting ill or injured coming up to a big event and I’ve been very unlucky in the past. I’ve got the blood tests back clear and all I can hope is that every week from now is consistent.”

The hopes of the nation will be resting on Eilish’s shoulders this summer.

But while she can’t wait to have the support of her friends and family on home soil, she says her sporting fame is lost on wee sister Orla, eight, and brothers Kieran, 11, Eamonn, 13, and Martin, 14.

“They have no interest at all, which is refreshing really.

“Martin was going on about how amazing Mo Farah was at the Olympics and when I said I was there too he just laughed. He didn’t have a clue I was competing!”