Two of Ireland's greatest-ever distance runners, Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan, will compete in the BUPA Great Ireland Run in Dublin this Sunday.
The fact that Kiernan, four-times world cross country runner-up, has committed to this race has fuelled speculation that she may go on to compete at the Spar European Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh in December.
Irish selectors will keep a close eye on proceedings in Dublin at the weekend and a good return to competition for McKiernan could be an initial step towards the Cornafean runner competing in Edinburgh.
Injury and motherhood have kept McKiernan, a former winner of the London, Berlin and Amsterdam marathons, out of the spotlight in recent years. However, the 33-year-old always said she would make a return, and now she will take the opportunity in front of home crowds.