Kenya's World 10,000m bronze medallist Linet Masai will on Sunday try to regenerate her career after a poor 2012 season with a solid run at the ninth Cross Internacional de Atapuerca in Bilbao, Spain.

Masai, who holds the silver medal from the last World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, also in Spain in 2011 behind compatriot Vivian Cheruiyot.

"I had a long rest because my season ended long ago after I failed to make it to the Olympics. I need to put my career back on the right path and hopefully will be able to reclaim the gold medal at the World Championships in Moscow in 10,000m and the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgozcsc, Poland in March," Masai told Xinhua on Friday night before flying out to Spain.

It will not only be Masai, who will be running in Bilbao. The Kenyan contingent includes Emanuel Bett, holder of a 10,000m personal best and 2012 world leading mark of 26:51.16.

World Cross Country bronze medallist Vincent Chepkok, Imane Merga (Ethiopia) and Teklemariam Medhin.

Watch out too for 2010 World Junior 5000m silver medallist John Kipkoech, Uganda's 2009 World Junior XC bronze medallist Moses Kibet and Clement Langat, the 2010 World Junior Cross Country silver medallist in Bydgoszcz, the venue of next World Championships in March.

Both Merga and Masai have had similar results over the last couple of years on the track as they bagged the World 10,000m bronze medals in Daegu 2011 but failed to compete at the London Olympics this year.