JO Pavey is hoping tomorrow's Bupa Great North Run proves a significant stepping stone on the route to next year's Olympic marathon in London.

Pavey is currently the only British runner to have achieved the qualifying time for next summer's Olympic event on the streets of the capital, despite only stepping up to full marathon distance two years ago.

The Devon-born 37-year-old missed last month's World Championships in South Korea through injury, and is running out of opportunities to test herself at world level ahead of next year's Games.

That makes tomorrow's half-marathon a particularly significant event, and having finished third in the Great North Run three years ago, Pavey is determined to challenge for a podium finish once again.

"I was absolutely relieved to get the qualifying time in the London Marathon," she said. "But that doesn't mean I've definitely made the team for the Olympics and it's important to keep showing what I can do.

"We have some marvellous marathon runners in the UK - people like Mara (Yamauchi), Paula (Radcliffe) and Louise (Damen) - and we all want to be competing at London so that keeps us motivated.

"I'm still a bit of a novice when it comes to marathon running. I've only just turned my attention to trying to run a marathon, and it's very different to running on the track.

"There's definitely a mental aspect to it. When you watch marathon runners on the TV, it looks as though they're really relaxed. But a lot of the time, you're running under a lot of distress.

"It's about how you deal with that distress over the course of 26 miles. It's a mental challenge to try to stay relaxed and deal with the exertion that you're putting in."

Pavey is expected to head the British challenge tomorrow, but there are plenty of overseas competitors hoping to claim the crown.

Ethiopian Berhane Adere will be determined to retain the title she won 12 months ago, while 2009 winner Jessica Augusto is back on Tyneside after missing last year's race through injury.

There is also a strong Kenyan contingent headed by Irene Jerotich and Irene Mogake, the gold and silver medallists from last year's Commonwealth Games marathon in Delhi.

The men's race is likely to be dominated by Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai, who impressed when winning the London Marathon in April.

Mutai's task became a little easier yesterday when compatriot Martin Lel was forced to pull out because of illness.

Commonwealth Games gold medallist John Kelai should be there or thereabouts, while Morocco's Jaouad Gharib will be hoping to improve on last year's third-placed finish.

The European challenge will be led by experienced Austrian Guenther Weidlinger, with Andy Vernon, John Beattie and Mark Warmby expected to head the British charge.