Jay Donawa is hoping that the form that saw him romp to victory in Bermuda's national cross country championships will serve him well overseas.

Donawa caused a major upset when he outkicked Kavin Smith on the final loop to take the national title in October.

Today he flies out to Toronto, Canada where he will be taking part in the Canadian National Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

Although he is not allowed to take any of the medals or prize money on offer as an overseas entrant, Donawa is still aiming to give it his best shot.

Donawa said he had decided to focus this part of the year on cross country running and so this event was ideal.

"I've sort of dedicated this part of the year to the cross country season.

I'm just looking at it as an opportunity to cap off the training I have put in over these last four or five months,'' he said.

That training has seen Donawa involved in a heavy schedule of running.

"My interval-type work outs have been solely based up at the Arboretum,'' he said. "And I've been doing a lot of 1,000-metre repeats and mile repeats and 800-metre repeats. I usually do that twice a week and the other five days I usually do race style running and endurance training.

"I'm just looking forward to the opportunity to go out there and compete. I hope I don't freeze -- from what I understand the weather has taken a turn,'' he said.

"I've run in weather slightly colder but this was five or six years ago so it's not helpful to be running here in 70-degree temperatures with humidity of 80 percent.'' The event comprises of a 12km course in grassy parkland with rolling hills.

"They said that it should not to be too hilly, but it's not going to be completely flat. I anticipate it will be sort of like a golf course style,'' he said.

Reflecting on the year so far, Donawa said it had gone very well.

"I ran three cross country races and the third one was the National Championships,'' he said. "I won that. Like I said I've sort of been directing my training towards this cross country season. Obviously I knew Kavin would be there, he is well regarded as the top runner in Bermuda, and rightly so. He has proven that over the years. "But on that particular day I guess I was the better runner. I'm not going to rest on my laurels.'' Jay Donawa: national champion.