Spitfire coming in for a landing at Hampden . . .

It is the end of a 118,000-mile odyssey through 70 nations and territories. For McKean it has meant 18 miles a day for 20 days. He seems incredulous. "I've never run that far in my life," he says. "I?¯never ran anything like as far when I?¯competed: 30 to 40 miles a week was the very most. This has been totally unknown territory.

"The legs have been a bit stiff first thing but loosened off as the day wore on. There's been a lot of walking as well, going back and forth. It's been good fun. I got the legs massaged last week, and they've held up. I?¯am really pleased."

The police sergeant laughs at the suggestion he might not have been fit enough. "I'm miles fit enough, but the slower you go . . . sometimes the camber gets to you.

"I'm not sure how the final day works. I?¯don't know if we just keep it secure until the baton is handed over. It's ours to watch over."

Three minor incidents, when the baton was the target of would-be demonstrators, were repulsed in seconds: "People with some protest," he says. "They've all got their own wee agendas, I?¯suppose. That's our job. It's been nice to come into contact with members of the public we don't normally meet: a great atmosphere and great crowds."

Arrival at Hampden will also cap a remarkable personal career journey for 50-year-old McKean, a champion athlete who ranks among the greatest athletes Britain has produced.

His palmares includes European titles indoor and out in 1990, the world indoor crown in 1993, a record four consecutive European Cup wins, a World Cup title and two Commonwealth silver medals. He was also the first man to defeat Paul Ereng, the 1988 Olympic champion, at Crystal Palace. The 25th anniversary of that race is next Monday. His time, 1min 43.88sec, remains the Scottish record.

When the Lanarkshire man made his international breakthrough, he was ranked 11th in the world, yet only fourth in the UK behind Seb Coe, Steve Cram and Peter Elliott. He was pilloried for failure to medal in world championships and Olympics. Qualification for the British team was often harder than it was to reach the world final, such was the depth of British 800m talent.

In the wake of the success of that trio, and of Steve Ovett as Olympic two-lap champion, McKean struggled initially to win the hearts of his countrymen. Yet it is worth noting that Coe never won any Commonwealth medal, never won the European Cup and never won world or European indoor gold. The latter two of these, McKean won at his first and only attempt.

McKean was the sole world-class Scottish middle-distance male in almost a decade. If Coe failed, England could fall back on Ovett, Cram or Elliott. So it is worth listening to McKean's advice for Eilidh Child, the poster figure of Scotland's Commonwealth athletics team, and the track and field athlete under greatest pressure to deliver in Glasgow.

"Before the 1986 Commonwealths in Edinburgh, I?¯did not feel much pressure," recalls McKean. "Coe and Cram were favourites. My main aim that year was to be among the top three Brits and make the European Championship team. Crammy had gone really well the previous year; I?¯beat him in a slow race which really didn't count. Coe was back and Peter Elliott was running very well. And to get to the Europeans, I?¯had to beat one of them, and hopefully get a medal.

"But in 1990, in Glasgow, for the European indoors, I?¯was expected to get a medal and my aim was to win. That was a different pressure altogether. I'd just come back from the Commonwealth Games in Auckland. I?¯had not run well [he was seventh, one place behind Coe, and with compatriot Brian Whittle fourth]. I?¯really felt pressure then, until Frank Dick [the UK head coach] took me aside and played role reversal. He asked, if I?¯were the coach, how would I?¯tell him to run the race. I?¯said to him: 'I'd tell you you're fastest in the field. Why not just gun-to-tape-it? It made sense and took a lot of pressure off.

"The Commonwealths had been such a disappointment and I?¯had a point to prove. The right word at the right time can have a good effect. It also helped that I?¯did not have to dwell on the Europeans. I'd never run indoors and I?¯did not have a big build up or the same pressure as Eilidh. Before I?¯knew it, the Games were there. But there definitely home expectation, as I?¯was fastest in Europe at that time.

"It was the first time I?¯tried waiting in front in a championship. I?¯just made sure I'd something left and I'd a free run while everyone was jostling and barging. Then I?¯did the same at European outdoors and world indoors."

Only David Rudisha outdoors, and Wilson Kipketer indoors, have won championships since by front-running from the gun: each in world record times. "Eilidh won that Diamond League at Hampden, dominating the race. It's not what she thinks; the press have raised the level. I?¯don't know how her mind works. Would I?¯have run in Glasgow 10 days before the Games? Definitely not. Imagine Rudisha coming back from injury. Would I?¯have run against him? No chance.

"Eilidh has beaten them on her home turf and has the advantage. But Kalise Spencer [Commonwealth and world No.1] was not there. I'm not sure the Scottish public who  saw Eilidh win understand that. Expectation is something Eilidh and her coach have to manage.

"I?¯felt within my limits in 1990. She has not got that. She is doing 15 strides and then has to manage that. If adrenalin kicks in, 15 strides [between hurdles] become 14 and a half. It upsets the rhythm. It's good she has to concentrate on the strides. That helps keep focus.

"She seems level-headed and is improving at the right time. But if she runs well in heats and semis and gets built up and starts looking at what the papers and Facebook and Twitter say . . . I?¯didn't have the social media, and I?¯didn't read the papers, but the young ones today? It's all social media. That can be good but, if she doesn't run well, all of a sudden it can have a devastating effect. People can be quite cruel.

"I?¯hope she does her own thing: doesn't read the press or social media. She should build confidence with her coach and stick to the race plan. And, with this virus kicking around, I?¯would not risk staying in the village.

"I?¯chilled with a friend near Lesmahagow, away from the Games atmosphere [in 1986]. It was my first Games and it was a learning curve for me and my coach, Tommy Boyle. Later I?¯stayed in the village and enjoyed it. Looking back, it would have made a difference if I'd gone to the previous Games in Brisbane - and I?¯believe I?¯should have gone - I'd have learned so much.

"In 1986, Crammy was sublime in Edinburgh. It [his time] is still the all-comers' record. But what that race did for me: I?¯knew how he would strike in the Europeans just a few days later. I?¯knew I?¯had to hang on to him with 200 to go. I?¯only learned that from Edinburgh and worked hard to keep him off in the Euros. [When I watch it back] I?¯still think I'm going to win it until the last stride. Every time I?¯see it.

"Possibly, if Coe had run in Edinburgh, there would have been more to learn. Instead of kicking off Crammy with 80 metres to go, I'd maybe have held a little bit back: 'Coe's next to come', having put Crammy away. But Coe was not going to come back from glandular fever. He couldn't possibly be coming through. I?¯was wrong, but being part of the three Spitfires coming out of the sun in Stuttgart [as the three Brits were dubbed] was amazing. I'll never forget it as long as I?¯live."

His most treasured wins were those three front-run championship titles. "I'd nobody to help me but still won gun-to tape. Not many have done that. Silver in Edinburgh was really special and our relay silver in Auckland was a phenomenal feeling. We did not have one recognised 400m runner: just a 400m hurdler, Mark Davidson, and three 800m men, Brian Whittle, David Strang and myself. Brian and I?¯ran under 45 seconds and it's still the Scottish record.

"My medals? I?¯think they are in the loft. All except one: that silver from Auckland. I?¯lost it, but the Wishaw press found it and it's been in their office for the past 18 months. I?¯haven't bothered collecting it yet. And I?¯gave away all my vests and kit."

He almost missed the medal ceremony when he won world indoor gold in Toronto. His gold and another in the 3000m from Yvonne Murray and silver from David Strang that weekend would have put Scotland third on the medal table behind Russia and the United States.

McKean was on my phone, calling his family. Some mocked him for even mistiming his run to the podium. It was typical of what he had to endure. Yet for me, there's not much wrong with a man who prioritises family before self-glorification.

"Your family and children come first," he said, when I?¯recalled the moment, "and sport comes second. We weren't really professional then, compared to nowadays. There was not a lot of real money compared to now. But I?¯enjoyed great times, outstanding races. There are lots of good memories there."