Chris Estwanik is braced for his toughest ever challenge in the May 24 Marathon Derby with Tyler Butterfield and Lamont Marshall out to scupper the defending champion's quest for three successive titles.

Only six runners have ever won the annual race three times in a row with veteran Terrence Armstrong the last to achieve that feat back in 2007.

Estwanik knows both Butterfield and Marshall will be gunning for his crown next week and believes both Bermudian runners are stronger than 12 months ago.

"I think both of those guys, Lamont and Tyler, have improved and that's no secret," said Estwanik, who set the record for the 13.1 mile course in '08.

"I don't really know where I'm at but I want to run a solid race.

"I think each one of us, along with Jay (Donawa) and Kavin (Smith), bring a certain attribute to our running that we will need to utilise.

"For someone like Tyler, he has the best endurance of anyone on the Island with his triathlon training and has a huge engine and the longer the race goes, the more competitive he will be.

"Lamont is on the track more now and he is using that to prepare himself as well.

"He has ran some good times in the 1,500 and 5,000 metres to help him prepare, so his speed is top. I may fall in between the pair and hopefully I can be a balance of the two."

Last year's race strategy saw Estwanik set a blistering pace from the get-go with him ditching the field going up Scaur Hill, finishing four minutes ahead of second-placed Butterfield.

This time around the Ohio-born runner has been toying with a different plan for the May 24 spectacle.

"I've focused on my endurance more this time rather than around track speed so I'm hoping this will allow me to have a stronger finish as last year I struggled towards the end," he said.

"I was a little banged up early in the year but the past two months have been good. In this race you have to be prepared for a lot of things, but I feel good and have been training consistently.

"I feel everything is going according to plan. We're our own harshest critics and I won't be happy on Monday unless I leave my all on the course.

"I want to do my best and you can't control what others do on the day, I just want to put myself in the position to win."