`On the road again!' After lengthy periods of inactivity, Mark Perry and Anna Eatherley -- at onetime two of Bermuda's premier runners -- are back.

And while neither have yet rediscovered the form that made them feared opponents in the past, each have the intention of returning to former glory.

Still, there are obstacles each will have to overcome.

For Eatherley the challenge is to be able to combine a new family life with athletics, while for Perry just being able to run without pain would be an accomplishment.

After taking almost a year off to have a baby, Eatherley is gradually easing her way back into the running scene and after appearing in a few races toward the end of last season. She has placed well in two recent events.

She was first in the Labour Day Five Mile race, clocking 33 minutes, 40 seconds, and followed that up with a second during the Romanoff 5K just over a week ago when her time was 19:27.

Neither time was particularly startling, but signs of the old form were in evidence and opposing females would do well to take note.

"I wouldn't exactly say that I'm all the way back,'' said Eatherley, the wife of 1994 Marathon Derby champion Brett Forgesson. "I haven't been able to do any speed work and I'm just trying to get there at the moment.

"I'll need to do some work on the track or somewhere to get to where I was before. I'm not too far off, but if I am to get all the way back it will take a bit of hard work.

"When I'm out there running I feel good, but I can't dig in and get the speed I had before, there's nothing there at the moment.'' Aside from doing work on the track, the 1993 Marathon champ intends to take part in the upcoming cross-country series.

However, her participation and training will revolve around her seven-month-old daughter.

Thus far she and Forgesson have combined the duties, with the latter running while pushing the baby around in a stroller during the first two races of the season.

But this will not be possible for cross-country, with its varying terrain, and unless a babysitter can be found they may each have to take turns competing from week to week.

"She's seven months old and she has to come first and we'll fit in races where we can and work out a schedule,'' said Eatherley.

As for what she intends to do over the next year and whether a return to the Marathon Derby was a possibility, Eatherley explained how she would be focussing on distances of 10 kilometres or less until January, when she will re-evaluate her prospects.

However, while Eatherley's outlook for the future appears bright, Perry's tale has no such happy ending...at least not yet.

On the horizon remains uncertainty, but there are rays of hope.

One was visible on September 4, when he placed seventh in the Labour Day Five Mile race, with an encouraging time of 30:34.

Nevertheless, the light was snuffed out again as his right knee swelled afterwards, forcing him to cease training for several days.

But Perry remains determined in his bid and, like Eatherley, intends to participate in the cross-country series.

"(My return) is not really permanent as of yet,'' said Perry. "I'm still having problems with the patella tendon in my knee and until that stops I can't do any consistent running in races.'' Perry has been one of the more unfortunate runners in having to combat a number of injuries, but none more troublesome than the right knee which has already had two surgeries and has kept Perry out since May, 1994.

The drive to be competitive still burns, however, and Perry vowed to persevere.

"I think I've done everything I could do (to have the knee fixed), I'll just go ahead with my training and hope it gets better over time.

"I have to play it by ear.'' THEY'RE BACK -- Mark Perry (left) and Anna Eatherley (above) have returned to the local running scene. "It will take a bit of hard work,'' said Eatherley of her comeback. Added Perry: "I'm still having trouble with my (knee).''