TOMORROW is Great Scottish Run day. Perhaps it is also time for a great Scottish runner to win it. While Susan Partridge, raised in Oban, claimed the women's title here in 2013, not since Peter Fleming, some 30 years earlier, has a native of this country finished first in Glasgow Green in the men's elite race. Bolstered by a hugely creditable ninth-placed finish in the Olympic marathon in Rio de Janeiro, Kilbarchan's Callum Hawkins leads the list of home challengers hoping to put an end to all that tomorrow

"Scottish running is on the up and up and to get a Scottish winner would be fantastic for the event, and hopefully spark things even more for the next generation," admits Hawkins, second place here last year to Uganda's Moses Kipsiro. "Scottish athletics in general had 15 folk at the Olympics and most of them are endurance. It is great to see everybody come through together and quieten the people who always talk about the good old days!"

To say Hawkins has made giant strides over 26.2 miles is to drastically understate the case. It was only two years ago when he rocked up here and ran a time of 63.06 for a half marathon that the first seeds were planted in his mind about specialising in the marathon rather than the 10K, setting in train a path which has led all the way to Rio.

To date, he has completed the full marathon course just three times in his life, yet here he is, at the age of 24, mixing it with the Kenyans and Ethiopians as the first European finisher at the Olympics. At one stage, amid the kind of torrential downpour which is currently battering this tent in Glasgow, this kid even had the temerity to attack at the front. Like a cyclist pleasing his sponsors by showing his team jersey at the front of the Tour de France peloton, this was Hawkins announcing himself to the world.

"I was completely comfortable because it wasn't that quick," says Hawkins. "It was actually better for me to lead. I got caught in the middle of that group once and it was hectic - I was getting beat up a bit in there. So I just decided to go and run it myself. I have watched it back, and when I first get in the lead, seeing [Eliud] Kipchoge [the eventual winner] jump across to cover my move, it was quite special to see that. But it never really crossed my mind once about winning, I knew Kipchoge was in too good shape. I just knew that if I stuck to my plan it would be the best way to get the best outcome."

Where the Hawkins family is concerned, of course, Callum is only half the story. He was joined in the Team GB marathon squad by his brother Derek, whose Olympic achievement in some ways was no less special - as he had to battle injury as well as those endless miles. Having only been given the green light to participate some 12 days before the Olympics, Derek eventually finished some 17 minutes behind Callum, but his younger brother feels a top 20 finish at least was not out of the question if he had gone in fit. The third member of the Scottish marathon trio, Tsegai Tewelde, also endured a painful outing. Spotted hobbling around on the start line, he was unable to finish. "I would have loved to have seen him [Tewelde] finish," said Callum. "But seeing him before it I was surprised he even started. He is a tough wee guy."

While timing hampered the Hawkins' brothers attempts to socialise in Rio - the marathon was on the last day - these singular Scottish siblings did find time to kick back with their English triathlon counterparts, Alistair and Jonny Brownlee. They bonded over a game of the apparently world-renowned drinking game Beer Pong against the USA team, while Callum also said yesterday that he would also do something similar to Alistair, who helped his cramping brother over the line in a world series event in Mexico.

"Would I do the same for Derek? Depends on the circumstances!" joked Callum."I probably would. If he was struggling to the finish, I would probably pick him up and throw him over the line!

"My brother's performance was a great performance for other reasons - defying medical science is what they have been saying," he added. "So I am really glad he managed to finish. I didn't really think about at the time but we have both come along way, sort of had different paths. We didn't get out the village but we had a couple of beers together in there, although the first thing we had, meal-wise, was a McDonalds!"

When it comes to tomorrow's race, Callum's modus operandi involves less obsessing about placings and times and more putting himself in the mix and seeing what happens. When it comes to marathons less is more. Callum has only one marathon planned for next year, the 2017 World Championships in London, for which his pre-selection on the strength of his Rio finish should be confirmed in December. Then there is the chance to take on all-comers in a Scotland vest in the Gold Coast in 2018.

"The main thing is that it has really spurred me on. It really makes me want to knuckle down for the Gold Coast and Tokyo. It has really given me the drive for that. While you really hurt and it is horrible at the time, when you get a marathon right and you finish it is amazing, really quite addictive."