Buchanan was officially named in the Australian squad on Tuesday morning, capping an eventful two weeks for the 31-year-old.

A fortnight ago he was informed by Australian selectors that he'd been picked in the team, but he couldn't tell anyone.

Then last week he tested positive to COVID-19 - not great at the best of times let alone when you're preparing to put your body through the torture of a 42.2km run against some of the best distance runners in the world.

"It hasn't sunk in because I haven't really said it out loud,'' Buchanan said of his Commonwealth Games selection.

"I've had to keep it to myself, but now that I can tell people it is pretty exciting.

"(When I was told) it was a good feeling, but at the same time I want to go there and perform well.

"The easy part is making the team, the hard part is performing at a major championship.

"I enjoyed the moment because this is something I've been working towards for 10 years, but at the same time if I don't compete well I won't see it as a success. The work isn't finished yet."

The official announcement of the Australian squad aligned with Buchanan's first day out of isolation.

"I'm feeling fine and I'll have my first jog today and see how I go,'' he said.

"A week without going for a run is a long time for me, so it will be interesting to see how I feel.

"I'm hoping the break turns out to be a blessing...get some rest and then four weeks of training before Birmingham.

"COVID affects people differently, so hopefully I bounce back quickly. It felt like a cold that lasted for a couple of extra days."

Buchanan laid the foundation for his Australian selection by running a slick time of two hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds in his marathon debut in Hamburg in April.

It was the equal 25th fastest time by an Australian athlete for the 42.2km distance.

He was confident he'd make the Australian team, but not knowing until a fortnight ago made it tricky to prepare for Birmingham.

"It was hard, but my coach and I had to plan as if I was going,'' he said.

"It's a small athletics team this year. I think we have 69 athletes going this year compared to the Gold Coast where the team had more than 100 athletes.

"I was worried I wouldn't get picked purely on the numbers and how many could go. It was challenging for a few weeks there because I thought I'd be going, but I wasn't 100 per cent sure.

"I had to start planning... so I booked a trip to Switzerland for three weeks training without knowing that I was in the team.

"Thankfully, everything has worked out well."

Buchanan will run the Gold Coast half-marathon this weekend before heading to Switzerland to prepare for the Commonwealth Games.

"Apparently, the (Birmingham) course is a little bit hillier,'' he said.

"Championship races are designed to be more spectator friendly rather than designed to be super fast.

"I've only done one marathon and that course was pretty flat, so this will be a challenge.

"It will suit me because growing up in Bendigo there's not much flat terrain."

Buchanan said his plan for Birmingham is about racing, rather than running a certain time.

"It's exciting that if I have a really good race I have the potential to be in the top 10 or maybe top five,'' he said.

"If everything really goes my way I could possibly medal, which wouldn't happen at any other major championship because there's so many other strong runners."

The men's marathon will be run on Saturday, July 30.

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