He may have failed to make the grade as a soccer player, but Paul Evans has more than passed the test when it comes to distance running.

As a midfielder for semi-professional outfit Kirkley, Evans bounded about the pitch with alarming energy and pace, but there was a thing about ball control...he didn't have much of it.

"I used to run around for 90 minutes, the problem was when somebody gave me the ball. The work rate was there, but the skill work was lacking,'' said Evans, breaking into a wide grin. "So, basically, I wasn't going to make it as a footballer, running-wise I seemed to be able to run forever.'' Thus, after deciding to give up football for what was originally planned to be a season long hiatus, the Englishman joined a local athletic club at age 26 and upon entering a local charity race the `bug' bit, precipitating Evans' rise as a world class runner.

Evans also knows about hard work, rising from humble beginnings, labouring among menial tasks at a shoe factory for 10 years before deciding to go back to college. He pointed to those years working at the factory as character building, something which he said helps him today.

"I probably needed that kick in the backside. Now I can come to places like this, see the world, make money from it and really enjoy what I'm doing, and that's the main thing,'' added Evans, the winner of last year's Chicago Marathon.

"I don't take anything for granted, especially after working in a shoe factory for 10 years. A lot of people, I feel, take it for granted. For me, having worked in a menial job for many years, I'm not going to let it go.'' Today's race on what is regarded as one of the toughest international 10K courses in the world will certainly beg of hard work, with the many inclines.

And while stating his preference for flat courses, Evans promised he would do all he could to win.

He expressed wariness of the likes of Jerry Lawson of the United States, naturalised American Bouazzi Abidi -- originally from Morocco -- and Kenyan Stephen Nyamu, but his face told a story of quiet confidence.

"I raced Jerry in Chicago, he finished second to me in the marathon and is a great competitor. I've heard that he's running quite well at the moment, so that'll be interesting and the other two gentlemen -- the Kenyan especially -- I've never ran against him before.

"You never know with the Kenyans, they're a law unto themselves and when on form they're untouchable...hopefully tomorrow he won't be. I'll just go out with all guns blazing from the start.'' Meanwhile, Nyamu, who logged many miles in travelling from his homeland to Bermuda for the race, arriving on Thursday, was simple in his approach to the event.

"I want to run good,'' said the Kenyan, speaking barely above a whisper. "I just arrived yesterday (Thursday) and I'm very tired, so I don't know what I'm going to do, but I hope to do good.

"I don't know what shape I'm in because this is the first race of the season for me, I'll see tomorrow.'' Unlike Evans, Nyamu expressed an affinity for hills, saying that he did a lot of climbing during his training in Kenya, but, conversely, he favoured a slow early pace.

Abidi is familiar with Evans, having raced against the British runner in a number of Grand Prix Cross Country races last year and is also aware of Nyamu's pedigree.

"I'm glad to be here and looking forward to running against these people. The Kenyan is a really good runner -- I ran against him the last couple of years in some 10 milers and he's a really good runner, very talented,'' said Abidi, who recently returned from the Caribbean, where he spent 40 days Island hopping while spreading the `gospel' of running.

"I think from the beginning we might be going four twenty-something a mile, for the first mile at least, and then break down.

"For me that's good. The fast pace is good, the slow pace is good, it doesn't matter. I don't know about the rest, but for me I would use only 60 percent my legs, 20 percent my brain and save my heart to myself.''