SPOTLIGHT ON A FORMER 13-STONE HEAVYWEIGHT SMOKER WHO NOW BURNS UP THE RECORDS. Trudi amazing as Fifer fights to go the distance

marathon, all within a year of the birth of her daughter -- earned her

the justified reputation as one of the iron women of world athletics.

Indeed, as the hype intensifies pending her comeback in London a

fortnight tomorrow, it may be tempting to conclude that she is the only

Scot of note at the distance.

The truth is that the women's marathon is Scotland's most successful

event at senior international level. The pre-selection of Karen Macleod

(Edinburgh AC) for the world championships in Gothenburg this summer was

topped this week when Trudi Thomson (Babcock-Thorn Pitreavie) and Alison

Rose (Edinburgh Woollen Mill) were included in the UK team which

contests the World Marathon Cup in Athens three weeks tomorrow.

Fifer Thomson, in particular, has a curriculum vitae which reveals a

will and drive rivalling that of McColgan, establishing her as an

equally inspirational figure.

For the 36-year-old did not take up the sport until after the birth of

her third daughter. A 20-a-day smoker, rheumatoid arthritis victim, and

bulimia sufferer, weighing 13st, she was unpromising material for an

athletics champion when she first began running in 1990.

Yet in less than five years, she has become a world force in

ultra-distance running. Eighth on her debut, helping Britain to silver

at the 1993 world 100 kilometre (62[1/2] miles) championships, she has

since improved dramatically.

Last year, she finished runner-up for the world 100k title, in Japan,

with a time of 7hr 42min.19sec., surpassing Leslie Watson's Scottish

record. When established, that had been the world best.

Thomson's enthusiasm for competition, particularly given her arthritis

problem, merits that tired adjective, amazing. Witness the following

extract from her racing diary last year:

March 5: Won, Cupar five-mile race; 13: Won, Inverness half-marathon

1-19-36; 20: Club five-mile handicap.

April 2: Fifth, Two Oceans 35-mile race, South Africa, 3-55-17; 17:

Eighteenth, London marathon 2-47-31. 24: Won, Lochaber marathon 2-52-12

(course record).

May 1: Won, St Andrews half-marathon 1-18-30 (course record); 4: Won,

Sri Chinmoy five miles; 7: Won, Edinburgh-North Berwick, 22 miles

(course record); 11: Won, Troon 10,000m; 14: Won, Penicuik 10,000m. 30:

Third, Inter-county 20 miles, 2-04-03.

''I race a lot, because I don't know how long I'll be able to keep

running,'' she says. ''I want to enjoy it while I can. I was really ill

with arthritis, triggered during the pregnancy of my first daughter,

Nikala, 12 years ago.

''I've suffered a lot of pain, but I think it's helped my running,

because I've developed a high-pain threshold. I was on anti-inflammatory

tablets for years. On wet days, I still suffer particularly badly. But a

change to a vegetarian diet, and lots of cod liver oil, iron, calcium,

and vitamin C, has helped a lot.

''I won't give up racing. I'd compete in a wheelchair if I had to.''

Yet arthritis has perhaps been the least of Trudi's problems. ''I

started smoking at 11, and was on 20-a-day from the age of 18,'' she

says. ''Once I started running, it took me four years to give up. It was

harder than the training.

''Worst of all, I was a bulimia sufferer. I was in misery for years. I

weighed 13st before. Now I am just over eight.'' The condition, a

pathological eating disorder, is sometimes linked to anorexia.

''I would wake and go for a run by 6am, before my husband woke, and

pretend I hadn't been out. Then I'd swim for a mile, and go straight to

a step aerobics class. I'd have another run in the afternoon, and

another step class. At night I climbed on the exercise bike, and would

pedal for an hour, doing my knitting.

''It was stupid when I think back, but I couldn't help myself. If your

physique doesn't fit the image of the endurance runner, people can make

very unthinking remarks, and trigger problems.''

Thomson has lost count of the marathons she has done ''perhaps 30,''

but has now eased off ultra training, concentrating on developing pace

with the help of former Scottish steeplechase record-holder, John

Linaker.

Both she and the 27-year-old Rose are looking for personal bests in

Athens. Rose has run just five marathons, but has lowered her best each

time, including last year's European championships in Helsinki, having

been called in at one week's notice.

Rose used to follow the carbohydrate-loading diet and routine of

taking on of copious quantities of water before races. ''But it didn't

suit me,'' said the Edinburgh physiotherapist. ''I had terrible cramp --

until Helsinki. I stopped the diet, and though not properly prepared,

felt better than ever before. I hope this time, having had good

preparation, I can go even faster.''

A place in the Europeans was only partial consolation for missing the

Commonwealth Games. Rose, fifth in the World Student Games marathon, and

her coach, believed she had done enough to qualify for the 10,000 metres

in Victoria. But by holding a place open for McColgan to defend her

title, Rose was ruled out. ''There were tears at the time, but I'm not

bitter,'' she says.

* THE Scottish Athletics Yearbook, published this week, reveals

encouraging signs of recovery, particularly in the younger age groups.

Outdoors last season, six senior women set nine native and national

records and six senior men did likewise. There were 22 junior records.

There have been 42 Scottish records indoors this winter -- eight of

them by Melanie Neef, who was denied two further marks, at 200m, because

there were only two people in the race.

The 224-page yearbook, the most comprehensive produced by the Scottish

Association of Track Statisticians, will be available at meetings this

year. It can be obtained by post from Colin Shields, 21 Bogton Av,

Glasgow G44 3JJ (#4, including post and package).