Catherina McKiernan is admitting to some apprehension in the approach to her seasonal debut in cross-country competition in today's big international race in Durham. It's a challenging experience for the Cavan athlete, known as one of the most natural cross-country runners in the world in a facet of the sport demanding pace, strength and balance in equal proportions.

Now after a sequence of nine wins on the road which has catapulted her to a place among the most soughtafter road runners in Europe, she is uncommonly anxious about the move back to her first love.

"Making the change was always going to be difficult but it's now been made even harder by the conditions," she said. "After all the recent rain, it's an unusually heavy course, all the more so because of the climbs involved. It's going to take a lot of running."

On the manner in which she handles the challenge, may well depend her schedule for the remainder of the cross-country season. Contrary to expectations, she has decided against running in the international race at Mallusk at the end of the month.

She is still committed, however, to competing in Ras na hEireann at Dunleer on February 1st. This, and an IAAF Cross race in Seville, are likely to be the only other crosscountry races she will run before deciding if she will compete in the world championships in Morocco in March.

"At the moment, I've still an open mind about the world championships," she said. "It depends on how I am running at the time and if it's likely to cut across my preparations for the London Marathon on April 26th."

Against that uncertain background, she could scarcely have chosen a more demanding setting in which to re-impose herself on the international cross-country ratings. Among those lining up with her in Durham is the Kenyan, Sally Borsosio, who won the world 10,000 metres championship in Athens in the summer.

Even in conditions totally alien to her, Borsosio is a formidable competitor at this time of year. So, too, is Paul Radcliffe, the Liverpool runner who has figured in some exciting duels with McKiernan over the years.

For some, however, the bigger threat on this occasion may emanate from Irina Mikitenko, who finished behind Sonia O'Sullivan in a road race in Edinburgh in September but has since put together some impressive performances over the country.

Valerie Vaughan and Teresa Duffy complete the Irish entry in a race which this year is being marketed as the centrepiece of the programme.

Organisers of the meeting suffered a second serious setback yesterday when the brilliant Moroccan, Khalid Skah, withdrew from the men's race on the instructions of the Moroccan Federation.

This follows the loss of the Kenyan, Wilson Kipketer Boit who is apparently stranded in Italy without a valid passport and who omitted to renew his visa to run in Britain. Earlier, there was some speculation that Boit was not prepared to put his reputation on the line against Skah but, as it transpires, neither will now be in action today.

Morocco, on home terrain, are determined to end the Kenyan-Ethiopian dominance of the world championship this year and while Skah was anxious to add to his bank balance by running in Durham, he has been ordered back to base to participate in squad training sessions.

The effect will be to shorten the odds against Thomas Nyariki of Kenya winning the race. Nyariki, third in the world championships in Turin last March, has already shown signs of improvement and, unless something goes terribly wrong for him, should win with something to spare.

Jon Brown, last year's European champion, missed out on the chance of defending his title in Portugal but has since recovered from injury. At his best, he may be the one to follow the Kenyan home.

Peter Matthews, the first Irish finisher in 16th place in the European championship in Lisbon, pulled out of the race in midweek.