Andy Butchart is confident he can find the extra gains required to mix with cross-country's global elite despite a baptism of fire in Saturday's world championships in China.
The 23-year-old struggled to complete the 12 kilometre course in Guiyang in 40 minutes and 11 seconds, good enough only for 86th place in the biggest outing of his career to date.
It was, the Scottish champion admitted, a victory of sorts simply to hang around until the finish after the punishing effects of the humidity had almost persuaded him to pull out during the initial stages of a race eventually won by Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor. However at the close of a fine winter's work, Butchart will walk away with valuable insights which he plans to use during the impending track season and in future cross campaigns.
"I've learned that you've got to get stuck in," he said. "Everybody here is so good and you have to respect every athlete. We've all done amazing just to get here but the Africans pulled away from the rest so easily so you know you've got to step up the training and up your game every day, month and year.
"It's the first time I've been at a world championships and I'm going in the right direction, there's no doubting that. The way I've come on in the past two years shows such good progression, so who knows where I could be two years from now. The guys I'm racing here have been on this level for quite a few years, and I'm just stepping up, so I've got to be positive."
Fellow Scot Rhona Auckland had no complaints after finishing as the third European in her debut in the senior women's race with the 21-year-old, who came 19th, just three seconds adrift of GB&NI team-mate Gemma Steel and a mere two minutes behind Agnes Tirop who struck gold for Kenya.
And with one eye on her autumnal switch to the University of New Mexico, the way in which she flourished at altitude after four months out through injury may bode well for her American adventure. "The set-up there is going to be a level above what I have in Scotland because of the altitude," said the European Under-23 champion." I'm hoping it has a positive effect. It's just a year to begin with. If I like it, I might stay. I got on really well with the coach and it felt like the offer I wanted."
Although there was a promising effort from US-based Alex George in taking 39th place in the junior men's race, Inverclyde prospect Jonny Glen found the going tough as he trudged home in 79th.
"I need to go back and speak to my coach to see where it went wrong," the Scottish junior champion said. "It's a quick start and a world-class field, so I've got to take it on the chin and try and find a way to overcome it. I'm now focused on making the European Under 20s for the 10,000m, so that's the next aim."
Ethiopia topped the medal table with five gold, three silver and three bronze medals while winning three of the four team titles.
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