Adam Craig happy to be the mudlark as he wins the Scottish Cross-Country Championship

Adam Craig wins the Scottish Cross Country Championship: Pic: Scottish Athletics/Bobby Gavin

The Lothians prospect left his rivals in Falkirk’s Callendar Park in his wake as he took the title by almost a minute from Kevin Wood.

It sets Craig up for a tilt at securing a spot at next month’s world cross in Denmark.

And after coming 12th in the 3000m at the recent British indoor trials, following up a second place at the Armagh 5k with a ferocious slog through the mud has him back on track.

“Everything was geared to the indoors and that didn’t quite go to plan,” he said. “Getting out in Armagh was probably the best thing for me, to get my confidence back up and build it up from there. I knew I was fit. Coming in here, I was a bit cautious. I waited half a mile but then I took over and just felt better and better.”

Rapid improvements could make Craig an outside bet to make the leap into the reckoning for a 10,000 metres spot at October’s IAAF World Championships in Doha.

And he said: “The trials in Highgate are my target. I’ll get a little bit of altitude in first, come back and give it a good go. If it doesn’t happen, I won’t be disappointed. I’ll chase fast times and see how it goes.

Mhairi MacLennan of Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds was unable to match her 2018 victory in the senior women’s race as the GB internationalist ended up fourth behind Steph Twell. Capital club Hunters Bog Trotters, led by Morag McClelland, earned overall team silver.

Edinburgh AC duo Freddie Carcas and Eloise Walker won the men’s and women’s Under-20 races with Edinburgh University claiming both team titles in the age group as Max Milarvie added individual silver.