Carl Lewis isn't coming but more than 1,000 other runners are expected to take part in this year's International Race Weekend.

While long-circulating rumours that the US track legend would be putting in an appearance have been finally laid to rest, organisers are still bracing for a record field for the annual four-race series.

"I don't remember it ever being this big,'' said race secretary Pam Shailer yesterday, less than two weeks before a flood of Mile, 10-kilometre, half-marathon and marathon runners hit Bermuda's streets.

Entries numbering some 1,100 -- half of them in the marathon alone -- have already been received for the January 17-19 races and with two days being set aside for late registration, the total should easily surpass last year's 1,200 competitors.

As well, a large number of elite athletes are once again expected to take part. Their participation won't be confirmed until a press conference on Thursday morning.

"We traditionally get a lot of people who are late entries (in the shorter distances),'' said Shailer, unmoved by the fact that entries for the 10K are down from the 510 a year ago to 253 so far this year. Entries for the half-marathon are down to 265 from 380 last year.

But thanks largely to the Leukemia Society of America's presence in the full 26.2-mile marathon, overall numbers figure to be way up.

The LSA have once again selected Race Weekend as one of their fund-raising vehicles and are sending 380 marathoners alone. Last year, the LSA provided 192 of the marathon's 317 total runners.

More significantly, at least as far as one of the weekend's biggest sponsors is concerned, is the fact that about 725 of the confirmed entries are from overseas. This is good news for the Department of Tourism and specifically Island hotels during a traditionally slow period.

For instance the LSA contingent is staying at Sonesta Beach; the arthritis and diabetes foundations at Elbow Beach.

It is this year's arrival of the American Arthritis Foundation that spawned the Carl Lewis-to-Bermuda rumours.

Lewis is a national spokesman for the disease and advertisements that ran in US magazines loosely linked him and the charity to the Bermuda event. While Shailer determined that the four-time Olympian and eight-time gold medallist wasn't coming this year, there is anticipation he could be around for next year's Race Weekend -- providing he retains his affiliation with arthritis and the charity's fund-raisers again come to Bermuda.

Meanwhile, late entries are still being accepted for $25, with one last push coming on the Thursday and Friday before the half-marathon and 10K at the Number Six passenger terminal on Hamilton Harbour from 4-7 p.m. Marathon entries will be accepted up until a day before the Sunday race.

The 10K walk for the Council Partners charitable trust -- leaving the same time and following the same course as the 10K -- is also still accepting entries. Some 200 people are expected to take part.

RUNNING FOR CHARITY -- Last year's Bermuda International Marathon attracted 192 entrants from the Leukemia Society of America. This year more than 380 from that group have entered the January 19 race, boosting this year's field for the gruelling 26.2 mile run to 585.