Chris Estwanik, the Island’s top distance runner, has been sidelined with an Achilles injury.

This time of the year is usually when the top runners begin to focus on the big races in January like the Bermuda Marathon Weekend and Fairmont to Fairmont race.

However, Estwanik’s preparation has been hampered by another injury that has kept him out of competitive races over the last few weeks.

“It’s an Achilles injury and it’s been a rough go, but I’m trying to get into running and have run a few times this week,” Estwanik ssaid. “Slowly but surely I hope to be back out there but we shall see. I’m looking forward to jumping into a race at some point to test it.”

Estwanik was last in action in early July when he won two gold medals at the NatWest Island Games in Jersey in the half marathon and 10,000 metres, along with a silver in the 5,000 metres as he represented Bermuda for the first time.

Estwanik, who made it six wins in the Bermuda Half-Marathon derby in May when he returned after missing two years through injury, has expressed his desire to represent the Island at next year’s Olympic Games in Brazil. He has been living on the Island since 2007.

Estwanik had planned to run in the Chicago Marathon in October as he looked to reach the qualifying time of 2hr 17 min for the 2016 Olympics. He ran a 2:21.32 time at the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon in May.

He missed the Chicago race through injury, however, and will have limited opportunities left to reach the qualifying time should he chose to attempt to do so.

The American-born runner has been unlucky with injuries over the last few years, first being hit by a torn tendon in his right knee in 2013 and then a freak injury in 2014 while running on the railway trail in Paget when he landed awkwardly and fractured a bone near the base of his spine, both delaying his bid for a sixth victory on May 24.

• Runners will be pushing for strong finishes in the BNAA cross country series which finishes this morning at Chaplin Bay with the final race of the series. There is a three-way tie for first place in the men’s open category between Chayce Smith, Chefton Hall and Larry Marshall, with Darico Clarke four points behind.

Marshall confirmed yesterday that he won’t be competing in the final race of the series because of his training schedule, though he plans to run in next month’s National Championships at Botanical Gardens.

“I am still in my base training phase and racking up miles is what I wanted to focus on after the Arboretum run,” Marshall stated. “I do plan on running the [National] Championships on December 5.”

Marshall made a late surge up the rankings, winning back-to-back races at Astwood Park and the Arboretum.

To be eligible for the series title, competitors have to compete in at least three of the five races. Smith won the first two races before missing the last two

All four contenders have yet to compete against each other in the series.

Rose-Anna Hoey looks set to win the women’s open race as she takes a 14-point advantage over Tamika Miranda into this morning’s race.

Hoey has 30 points from three wins while Miranda was second to Hoey in the last two races after missing the first two.

Aaron Jacobs leads Quincy Kuzyk by two points in the boys’ under-17 age group, with Kuzyk winning the last race while Jacobs finished third.

Ryan Outerbridge leads Iziah Tucker by six points in the boys’ under-14s and a top-three finish would ensure him of the title.

However, many other races like the women’s masters,men’s masters and some junior categories are too close to call.

Some interesting battles have developed in the younger girls’ age groups where the likes of Ashley Irby, Mikaela Outerbridge, Selah Tuzo, Jessie Marshall, Jade Johnston and Tesyah-Mahle Astwood are all in contention in their respective age groups.

The KPMG Front Street Mile trials are scheduled for next Friday and after the National Championships the focus will switch to Bermuda Marathon Weekend in January and track meets in preparation of the Carifta Games in Grenada in March.