Dent had an 80m lead with less than half a kilometre to go in last year's race when he hit the wall and could only watch as he was passed by two runners and relegated to third.

But this year Dent is in hot form. He won last weekend's prestigious City2Surf in Sydney becoming the first Australian to win the race in 14 years.

''I haven't really had much time for training because the recovery in itself takes a few days, but I was pretty fit before the City2Surf so I shouldn't be drained,'' Dent said.

''I really want to run well this year after what happened last year.''

Dent last won the Australian cross country title in 2005 and finished second in 2006. And last year's disappointing third still rankles.

''I was pretty disappointed with how last year went,'' Dent said.

''I just lost the race tactically, I just hit the wall.''

The Canberra distance runner is in the middle of a demanding six weeks. Once Dent has finished the Australian titles this weekend he will then head to Perth, then back to the national capital for the Canberra Times fun run and, finally, off to Adelaide.

Another Canberra runner Emily Brichacek, who finished second in the women's section of the City2Surf, will also be aiming for a podium finish in Geelong.

Brichacek will line up in the under-20 women's 6km race.

And Canberra's Australian Mountain Running Champion Jessamy Hosking will lead the open women's team.

ACT athletics has selected a team of more than 25 runners ranging in age from the open men's and women's divisions to under-14 boys and girls to compete in Geelong.

The event will also act as the Australian Schools Cross Country Championships. A team of almost 30 will represent the ACT in the schools cross country team.