It's a shame that one of International Race Weekend's biggest names doesn't have the command of English to fully explain how much he enjoys running in Bermuda or how he has achieved such dominance.

Ahead of his attempt for a fourth 10K and fifth Half-Marathon win, Russian Dmitry Maximov just offered his usual smiles, waves and shoulder shrugs.

The softly spoken, slightly built Olympian will be attempting his fourth double over the Weekend and through a translator, last year's marathon winner Marina Bychkova, one can just about discover that he is "feeling very good".

"This is very important for me, it is big start to season and I love coming here very much," said Maximov, a 10,000 metres competitor in the 2000 Olympics.

"I enjoy Bermuda, people here very nice to me and make me happy. I do well here too."

With Russia too cold a country in which to train effectively, the perennial Race Weekend champion spent a month in Portugal prior to jetting in to Bermuda and feels he is as strong as ever ahead of his attempt to repeat last year's double.

His biggest challenge may come in the Half, with Englishman David Mitchinson, whose best time stands at 64 minutes, 22 seconds, praying that his rival endures a tough 10K the previous day.

"I am just going to do the Half and I'm hoping that by not running the day before, that will give me a good shot at Dmitry," said the little long distance runner, who heard about the race through friend and regular visitor here Phillip Sly.

"I didn't realise that so many people did both the 10K and the Half but I am not going to change my plans now ? I have come here to win it and I'm going to have a better chance if I just do the one race and Dmitry has a tough 10K."

Other competition for Maximov in tomorrow's Half Marathon comes from St. Vincent runner Pamenos Ballantyne as well as Sly, another runner to break 65 minutes for the 13.1 mile distance.

Sly, an Australian who pulled out at the 11th hour last year after breaking his foot on a training run, will only be "going hard" in one of the two races, although he hasn't yet decided which.

He will be coming up against Maximov in the 10K, as well Ballantyne, and three competitors from last night's KPMG Mile, Nicholas Conway, Dirk de Heer and Ryan Hayden.

El Afoui Boubker, four-time Marathon winner, will be hoping to pull away from competitors Benson Osoro (Kenya) and Mihail Romanov (Russia) and avoid a repeat of last year's sprint finish in which a draw was declared with Simon Sawe after the Kenyan was sent the wrong way by national coach Gerry Swan who was blocking vital signage.

Boubker, who was first across the line and got full prize money, has won five marathons in tight fashion, one of them involving a five-man finish, but is hoping for an easier time of it tomorrow.

"I am feeling good and looking forward to it," said the Moroccan.

"I like this race. It is not one for a fast time but it is a nice race and the crowds are very good. I think I will win again."

In the women's events, Kenyan Tegla Loroupe pulled out with a shoulder injury while Emily Kimuria was also a late withdrawal.

In today's 10K, American Samia Akbar is the favourite and competition will come from Shari Boyle of Canada, Silvia Skvortsova ? whose husband Alexander competed in last night's Mile ? Kenza Wahbi (Morocco), Elena Orlova (Russia) and regular visitor Olena Plastinina.

In the Half, Skvortsova, with a 69:57 best, is the favourite while Debbia Arzola of the States as well as Wahbi, Orlova and Plastinina will also be challenging.

Bychkova will defend her marathon title against fellow Russain Svetlana Baigulova, American and former Kenyan Mary Akor as well as Claudio Camargo of Argentina and Victoria Ganushina of the Ukraine.

A number of runners have been here so often they are being given special numbers. These include 10K and Marathon competitor Franco Sfarra of L'Acquila, Italy, who will be running here for the 20th time alongside a number of staff from the Portofino Restaurant. He will be wearing the number 20.

Three 10K runners will wear numbers to commemorate the number of years they have competed here, Bill Britton (24), Ross Kolhonen (25) and Ramsey Merriss (27).

Sid Howard of Plainfield, New Jersey, a former world 800 metres age group champion, will be competing in the 10K on his 28th visit to Bermuda. He also ran in last week's Princess to Princess Race.

Well known veteran local runner Ludwig Cann will wear the number 79 for the 10K and number 2079 for the Half to mark his age.