Those living in the east end may not have to wait much longer to see the Appleby Bermuda Half Marathon Derby coming out of St George’s for the first time since the mid-1970s.

With the race just a month away, the switch is not likely to be made this year, but mile marks with the letters ‘BD’ have been spotted along the North Shore in Hamilton Parish and Dr Gina Tucker, president of the Marathon Derby committee, confirmed yesterday that the committee was looking into the feasibility of adding an alternative course to the annual road race which is 104 years old next month.

Not since 1976 — the same year that Merernette Bean became the first female competitor — has the race started or finished in the east end.

That year it ended in St David’s, won by Cal Bean, Merernette’s brother.

Tucker, who took over as president in 2007, has stated publicly over the last few years that she would like to see the race alternate yearly between the routes, Somerset to Hamilton and St George’s to Hamilton.

“It has been a consideration and we have been looking into the technicalities of doing that which involves so many people in how and if we can make that happen,” said Dr Tucker yesterday.

“We have a bridge to get over ... literally. There are a lot of things to take under consideration and having the course marked is just one small piece of looking into the feasibility of this idea of bringing it from the east end.

“All of the matters pertaining to changing the route are being considered very carefully. We will be making an announcement very shortly.”

The race has been run over many courses over the years, including starting and finishing at St George’s, St David’s Cricket Clubs and Somerset Cricket Club, Court Street, Devonshire Recreation Club, the National Sports Centre and the former Berkeley Institute school field (The Box), which was the venue for the 1947 race.

Residents in the east have longed for a course change, something Dr Tucker first hinted at in May 2007, shortly after becoming president.

“ ... Something to do with the bridges,” was how she explained the decision to move the race from St George’s almost 40 years ago.

“We will make a concerted effort to see that happen again ... perhaps do the Cup Match thing, St George’s one year and Somerset the next,” Dr Tucker said in 2007.

In 2009 the course issue came up again with Dr Tucker stating then that a second course could be reintroduced within a “couple of years”, though consideration would have to be made to include the Crow Lane and Front Street areas, two of the key areas for spectators. “It wouldn’t be a derby if we don’t come down Front Street,” she stressed five years ago.

“The idea is we would come back along Front Street for all the people set up for the parade.”

A slight change to the current Somerset to Bernard Park course this year will have the start and finish of the race moved about 40 metres to allow the finish line on Dutton Avenue to move further north as the area around Bernard Park is prone to flooding.

Ironically the area flooded while the course markers were on the Island recently.