Jay Donawa is determined to shut out the memory of his International 10K nightmare last year when he lines up for this year's race on Saturday.

Donawa went into the 1999 race in excellent form and ready for a duel with friend and rival Kavin Smith to be the first local home.

But within the first minute of the race, Donawa tripped, fell and suffered a fractured collar bone which stopped him training properly for more than a month and ruined his running season.

"What happened last year was just an unfortunate incident,'' said Donawa.

"We were running together in a pack and I just happened to trip and fall. I am not going to allow that to worry me this time, although I will be a little cautious.

"Psychologically now I'm a lot stronger. I've got it together mentally.'' Although Donawa does not feel that he is yet back to his best, his impressive time in winning last Sunday's 7.2-mile Princess-to-Princess race signalled a warning to his opponents.

On Sunday, in Smith's absence, Donawa won in 37 minutes, 37 seconds -- just five seconds outside Smith's record for a local runner set in 1989.

"I did not really feel in superior shape -- just a little bit less -- going into last weekend's race,'' said Donawa.

"But I went through the 10K mark in 32:02 and I thought `I'm not even pushing it'. I didn't go into the race with any time in mind, I was just looking to use it as a springboard for the year ahead. But, of course, I was very satisfied.

"My goal this year is to achieve a degree of consistency, in training as well as racing. That's what I haven't managed in the past.'' Despite suffering from flu, Smith has also entered the International 10K, but Donawa played down the idea of a showdown between himself and Bermuda's current road-running king.

"I will be going out there trying to have a competitive and solid race and not trying to beat one particular person,'' said Donawa.

"I'm not looking at it as a race between me and Kavin Smith. I'll just try to be as competitive as I can and I don't want to put pressure on myself.'' Defending champion Dave Lewis has not entered, but his fellow Englishman Paul Freary has and will be looking for his sixth successive Race Weekend title on Saturday.

Freary won the Front Street Mile in 1995 and in each of the four Race Weekends since, he has won the half-marathon.

Freary had a personal best 10K time of 29:26 last year and wrote in a letter to the organisers that he is "in the best shape of his life for this time of year''.

But he will face tough competition, particularly from New Mexico-based Moroccan Said Guermali, who has run 27:52 for the 10K.

Canada's Christian Weber, who has finished third in the last two years will also be a threat, as will Americans Bryan Spoonire and Michael Donnelly and Moroccan-born Haitian Nick Riviere, all of whom have personal bests of around 29 minutes.

In the women's 10K race, Canada's Courtney Babcock will be back to defend her title. To succeed, she will have to get the better of Ireland's Breeda Willis, who won the European Cup 5,000 metres in Lahti, Finland last June.

But Willis's personal best for the 10K, 33:05, is nearly a minute behind Babcock's best figures.

American Cathy Vasto and the Slovak Republic's Petra Staskova will also be in the hunt for top honours.

Anna Eatherley starts as red-hot favourite to lead home the local runners, as she did last year.

Eatherley's time in Sunday's Princess-to-Princess race, 43:13, indicates she is much fitter than last year at this time.

Karen Adams, who finished within 46 seconds of Eatherley last year, and Lynn Patchett are likely to be her closest challengers.

Talking tough: Jay Donawa believes he is much stronger mentally this year as he prepares for the International Race Weekend 10K.