Defending May 24 champion Chris Estwanik has revealed that he had completely fallen out of love with running until he moved to Bermuda two years ago.

Estwanik will be the overwhelming favourite to win the 100th edition of the Bermuda Day race – to add to the Sir Stanley Burgess, Lindo's-to-Lindo's and Cornerstone titles that he has already won this year.

But yesterday he told The Royal Gazette that living in Bermuda had launched the rebirth of his running career and reminded him of why he started pounding the roads as a small boy. He now wants to inspire Bermuda's young athletes to represent their country at the highest level.

"When I retired from the sport in 2006, I left in sort of a bitter position looking at what I didn't have compared to what I did have," said Estwanik who almost reached the Olympics with the USA.

"A lot of aspiring athletes are not making millions of dollars like in the NBA or sports like that, we do it because we love it and after years and years of banging my head against the wall I got away from my love of running and thinking of it as a job and an existence.

"So I retired and came to Bermuda and wasn't running at all, but the Island has been a rebirth for me because again it's taking me back to the grassroots days of the sport. I would go out and just run for the fun of it and I have that back now.

"I know I won't be as good as I once was, but I can compete here and hopefully encourage the young kids to aspire to do what Arantxa King and Aaron Evans are doing by representing Bermuda all over the world."

Estwanik admits he's often endured a love-hate relationship with running.

"I lost my love towards the end of career and this place has given it back to me," he said.

"Ask any runner and they will tell you running is a love-hate relationship, one morning you wake up and love it, while the next day you are ready to give up."

As well competing against many of the ex-greats who will be making a special return for next Monday's historic occasion, Estwanik will also be up against usual suspects Lamont Marshall, Kavin Smith and Jay Donawa.

"The competition will be stiffer than ever with Lamont who is in great shape, Kavin who has won this numerous times, Jay and Tyler (Butterfield), said Eswanik.

"Larry (Marshall) is hurt so that is the key missing piece to the bigger puzzle. It's going to be fun, just like the 5K recently that had a great competitive spirit.

"You have had so many fine runners compete in this event over the past 100 years and now we happen to be the next group of these people, so Monday is as much of a performance than it is a competition.

"We all want to put on a show for everyone who will be cheering us on.

"But no one knows what will happen, there could be someone out there who is ready to step up their game and try to make a run at the crown.

"The perfect race for every athlete is to hit that line and collapse, but to know that you literally let everything hang out the whole way throughout – it's a great feeling."

Last year Estwanik and his wife Ashley Estwanik completed a memorable men and women's double victory. But repeating last year's remarkable feat will be impossible with Ashley not competing as she is pregnant with the couple's child.