Turnbull in action for Ireland in the 2003 World Championships

After being cleared of a doping charge last week, Turnbull has already mapped out his winter and spring seasons.

"I'm getting ready for an abridged cross country season until the end of December," Turnbull told BBC Sport.

"Then I'll be off to sunnier climes in Florida to prepare for the indoor season, which is now my priority."

Turnbull's first competive race since his exoneration last week is likely to be in the Irish Inter-Counties Cross Country Championship in Dungarvan on 26 November.

A top-three finish in county Waterford will earn Turnbull a place in the Irish team for the European Championships in Legnano, Italy a fortnight later.

However, the cross country campaign is of secondary importance for Turnbull who is likely to run a few indoor races in the US in the New Year before competing at the Irish Indoor Championships in his native Belfast in February.

The thing I was most concerned about was losing the opportunity to compete in an Olympic Games Gareth Turnbull

"I can now prepare properly over the next five or six months and plan my schedule without worrying whether I'm going to be able to get into races."

The 2008 Olympics in Beijing are Turnbull's main career target and the Belfastman is fully aware that the games are less than two years away.

"During the whole business of this summer, the thing I was most concerned about was losing the opportunity to compete in an Olympic Games.

"The public will be aware that there are European Championships and the World Championships but the first thing a lot of people will ask you is whether you can been to an Olympic Games."

Next year will be vital for the 27-year-old's prospects of making it to the Chinese capital.

"It will actually be as important as the following summer because from March to September you have the chance to post times and qualify for Beijing."

Turnbull has already achieved success in Beijing as he won silver in the 1500m at the World Student Games in China in 2001.