Scotland international Nicola Gauld will not defend her Dandara 10km title in Sunday’s RunGarioch race meeting.
The Scotland international has been a regular competitor in the Inverurie races over the past decade, having won the women’s 10km four times.
She produced arguably the best performance in the 12-year history of the event in 2008 when finishing ahead of all the men in a time of 33min 58sec.
The course has been altered since then but it remains the fastest time recorded by a woman.
Gauld had planned to compete in Sunday’s Scottish road relays at Livingston.
But injuries have forced Aberdeen AAC’s women’s team to withdraw, so she will now switch her attention to next weekend’s national 10-mile road running championships at Motherwell.
Gauld’s absence leaves the field wide open. There are no obvious favourites either in the men’s race as holder Kenny Wilson (Moray) is another absentee.
Aberdeen AAC’s David Marshall and James Gray should feature among the leading runners along with Tom Roche (Garioch Gazelles).
Oldmeldrum’s Chris Winward, the 2009 winner who represents Barrow and Furness Striders, is also in the field while Calum Kitching and Jamie Ross, of Deeside Runners, should also be contenders.