A trimmer and fitter Kavin Smith knows he has it in him to shave several seconds off his record time in the May 24 Marathon Derby tomorrow.

But the main concern in the defending champion's mind is how his body will respond to running at sea level again after seven weeks of training at altitude in New Mexico.

Smith arrived back home on Sunday night 10 pounds lighter and raring to heat up the roads with another win which would tie Ed Sherlock's record of six victories.

The still active Sherlock accomplished his wins in a seven year period between 1956 and 1962, including a still unmatched five straight triumphs.

"I just want to run well and feel well,'' said Smith when he spoke to the Royal Gazette yesterday.

"Your metabolism speeds up at altitude. I'm weighing 140 which means I lost between eight and 10 pounds in seven weeks. Even walking my legs are feeling a lot lighter.

"I'm carrying a lot less weight which is a big positive. I've been trying to get down to this (weight) for a long time. I'm a lot, lot lighter, I feel it and I'm not weak. I've developed more muscle because of all the hill work.'' Smith doesn't concern himself too much with the opposition. His record of five wins since 1993 makes him the hot favourite, so much so that one top contender, Jamal Hart, expects the real race to be for third place behind Smith and Jay Donawa at one and two.

"I know how to run May 24th, I think I've mastered that,'' admitted the 33-year-old champion, who holds the course record of 1:09.49.

"Last year I was only nine seconds off the record, but I was just having a great time.'' Smith's desire to finish in the region of 1:09 would keep him on course for an even more significant goal...qualification for the Sydney Olympics in September.

That was the reason for his trip to New Mexico in the first place and on June 17 in Duluth, Minnesota, he will attempt to reach the marathon qualifying time of 2:20.

"In order to run a sub-2:20 I would have to run 1:09 comfortably, if not how am I going to run 2:20?'' Smith said. "The local record should be challenged very easily.'' Smith admitted his training in New Mexico "did not materialise like I wanted to,'' but the time spent there was worthwhile as he averaged between 125 and 135 miles a week.

"I left here with the intention of training with fellow runners but that never materialised, I ended up training by myself,'' noted Smith, who said the experience would not have been possible without his employers, Bermuda Telephone Company, allowing him time off and also without the support of sponsors TeleBermuda.

"Without TBI this would never have materialised,'' he stressed. "Let me tell you, it wasn't a holiday, getting up in the morning and running hard and running again in the afternoon. I was forced to train in very hilly terrain all the time. I'm very positive about the whole thing.'' On returning home, Smith planned to hit the road a couple of times before the race, just enough to shake off the jet lag.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what the response to the training will be,'' he said.

"There is extra stress on the body for altitude training and I took advantage of it.'' But Smith doesn't want to put extra pressure on himself by thinking too much about the 1:08.30 time which brings with it a $5,000 cheque from Sports R Us.

"One bit of pressure I am going to put on myself is I will be running to win, because one of my goals is to have the title for the most wins in May 24th,'' Smith disclosed.

With Canadian John Wassanaar, who placed fourth last year, having left the Island, Smith's serious challengers will likely be Donawa and Brett Forgesson who were second and third last year, and possibly David Dunwoody. Anna Eatherley is the hot favourite among the women as she looks to defend her title with a third triumph. Eatherley's winning time of 1:23.08 last year was good enough to place her 18th overall, some eight minutes ahead of second-placed female Karen Adams.

Adams isn't entered this year and Lynn Patchett is expected to be Eatherley's closest rival.

In order to earn a $5,000 bonus the top female will have to get within Sandra Mewett's record time of 1:19.56, something which Eatherley is cautious about.

"...I don't want to go out too fast and not finish,'' she told this newspaper last week. About 430 runners have signed up for the race which is open to Bermuda residents only. Among the field are eight members of the Commercial League football champions Robin Hood who will be on the course wearing shaved heads and yellow vests in a charitable cause which has already seen them raise $20,000 for Child's Wish.

"We're obviously overwhelemed with the response we've had already and if we can get up to $25,000 we will be happy,'' said spokesman Simon Turner who will be running along with Paul Scope, Alex McLaughlin, Alan Groves, Rob Jones, Russell Faulkner, Colin McQueen and Phil Heaney. All eight shaved their heads on Friday night at the pub.

The charity grants wishes for children suffering with long or life-threatening illnesses.

The race starts in Somerset at 9.30 a.m. and takes the runners to the Bernard Park finish line via Middle Road and Harbour Road.

Same again? Kavin Smith and Anna Eatherley will be hot favourites to successfully defend their Marathon Derby titles over the arduous route from Somerset to Hamilton tomorrow morning.