Ashley Estwanik is eager to right the wrongs of her disappointing performance in last year’s Appleby Bermuda Half Marathon Derby and has set her sights on shattering her own May 24 record.

The three-times winner was considered the red-hot favourite to win last year’s annual spectacle but finished three minutes behind Rose-Anna Hoey, her training partner, who claimed a maiden victory.

For Estwanik, it was simply a “bad day at the office” and she is determined to ensure that the tears of anguish that accompanied a tired display will be replaced with those of joy when she crosses the finish line at Bernard Park on Monday.

“I remember last year feeling so horrible, like I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me,” Estwanik said. “I knew I had to finish and that as a mother of two and a teacher, I had to show that you don’t just run to win, you run to do your best. You can’t give up just because the going gets tough.”

Hoey had opened an unassailable lead by the time that a weary-looking Estwanik had reached the Johnny Barnes roundabout, and yet the warmth of support that she felt from the spectators lining the street will live long in her memory.

“I can just remember feeling so overwhelmed that everybody was still so supportive even though I was not going to win and was clearly not having a good day,” she said. “I got so choked up that I started crying.

“I’m really looking forward to going out there and appreciating everyone’s support again. [The Derby] really is a day that brings the whole Island together and I want to be part of that again.

“Part of me is a little bit scared going into Monday’s race because I know how the conditions can really be a factor on how you feel on the day. But the other part of me does not ever want to miss such a special day for all of Bermuda.”

Estwanik’s confidence at the half-marathon distance was firmly restored when she set a national record at the New York Half Marathon in March in a time of 1:19:18. Heat and humidity permitting, she believes she is capable of going quicker than her best Derby time of 1:21:58.

“I felt so lousy after the last [May 24] and I really wanted to feel good in a race again,” said Estwanik, whose husband Chris, a five-times winner, has been ruled out of the race for the second successive year because of injury.

“[Last year’s May 24] was definitely my motivation for my New York race, to say, ‘I know I can run a fast half-marathon’ and I felt I had to do it somewhere else where I knew the weather would be more friendly.

“I had a great race in New York and I’m just trying to assimilate that, although obviously it’s not going to be 30F; it’s going to probably be 90F.

“I have some time goals if it’s decent weather; not too hot, not too humid.

“I’d love to beat my previous best on the course, but that would take a perfect race and a nice day.”

Estwanik is expecting a strong performance from former May 24 winner Deon Breory, another of her training partners, and believes Nikki Butterfield, her cousin-in-law, will have the pedigree to challenge despite having not had sufficient time to prepare for the race.

“You never know who is going to come out of the woodwork; a lot of people only train for May 24,” Estwanik said. “Nikki, even though she claims to have only been training for a few months, is an amazing athlete, so I would say she’s definitely going to be a challenge.

“That’s a good thing as you want people out there making it a challenge and pushing the pace. I would never discount Rose-Anna. She knows that I’ve nicknamed her ‘The Pit Bull’, as she’s always nipping at my heels. I know she’s had a baby and isn’t expecting to do anything super-fast, but I believe she will do better than she thinks she will do.”

Estwanik added: “I‘m disappointed that Chris won’t be running again this year. I think that affected me emotionally last year.

“He’s been really positive in trying to keep me motivated despite his disappointment. It will be nice to hear his voice on the course instead of having people tell me that my husband has just won the race!”