Callum Hawkins has set his sights on a Great Britain call-up for December's European cross-country championships in Portugal, despite a flurry of interest from promoters to step up his road career in the wake of his sparkling half-marathon debut in Glasgow this month.
The 22-year-old, whose fifth place at the Great Scottish Run vaulted him into fourth in the UK rankings, helped Kilbarchan leap from 15th to eventually claim bronze at the Lindsay's National XC Relays in Cumbernauld yesterday as Central AC claimed double gold in the men's and women's events.
It underlined Hawkins's progress in recent months. He will now gear up for the UK Athletics trials on Merseyside next month in a bid to book his ticket to the Europeans a year after coming seventh in Belgrade.
"I enjoyed the relays - up to a point," the Scottish prospect said. "It was very windy but the downhills were good. I've done a lot of miles this week and everything is geared now towards Liverpool at the end of the month.
"I'm going to prepare for that by running for Scotland over 10 kilometres at Leeds. I did it last year and I know it will be a good test."
Andrew Butchart produced a blistering anchor leg to ensure Central would overhaul Inverclyde to retain their title.
And although Rhona Auckland gave Edinburgh University a glimpse of an upset victory in the women's event, Morag MacLarty's late burst completed the team double with Edinburgh AC pipping their student neighbours for second.
Meanwhile Laura Whittle will get her first road outing since finishing sixth in the 5000m at the Commonwealth Games in today's Bupa Great South Run in Portsmouth.
The event, celebrating its 25th anniversary, will see the 29-year-old Scot take on in-form Gemma Steel as well as 2012 Olympic silver medallist Priscah Jeptoo and world medallist Linet Masai over the ten-mile distance.
Double European medallist Andy Vernon heads the domestic challenge in the men's race against Kenya's defending champion, Emmanuel Bett and the Commonwealth marathon winner, Michael Shelley of Australia.
MARK WOODS
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