ABOUT 200 runners are expected to turn up at the National Sports Centre this weekend to compete in the KPMG Invitational Mile Trials for Primary, Middle, Senior, Over 18 Male and Female runners.

"We have had a good response," said Mike Charles who will oversee the trials and will be the Race Director for the Mile races in January.

The Mile races kick off International Race Weekend on the Friday night, January 18, and will be highlighted by the final race of the night ¿ the Elite Mile. Thousands line Front Street during the races and this year there is an extra Mile race ¿ the Open which is only for those who are competing in the Bermuda Triangle Challenge which is a new event.

Elite Athlete Liaison Officer, Peter Lever, said this week: "The Bermuda Triangle Challenge is for those runners who will compete in the Mile on the Friday night, the International 10K on the Saturday and then either the International Marathon or International Half Marathon on the Sunday. We are going to start off the Mile races with that Open race. We already have 20 people signed up. It will be the first event of the evening and no matter how many sign up for the Triangle Challenge they will all run that Open Mile race on mass ¿ whether there are 20 runners or 40. We want to run that race first so we can get them finished so they can go home and rest up for the 10K the next day and the Marathon or Half Marathon the day after on the Sunday. The Triangle Challenge is going to be tough and it makes International Race Weekend more attractive for everyone."

Charles said: "For the Mile trials this weekend I believe we will have nearly 200 runners ¿ we normally have a good turnout especially from the schools. I expect to see a lot of our top juniors come out for the trials. We will choose the fastest 20 runners in each category."

Charles added: "We will be running the trials starting at 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday so come out and watch and cheer the runners on."

Asked who will be the Elite runners for the 2008 IRW, Lever said: "It is a little early to say who will be coming. We are doing the (invitation) list now. Until we get the answers back I can't say who is really coming.

"Right now we have interest from runners from 15 countries although we do not have the money to bring everyone (who is interested) in. But we have interest from elite runners from countries such as Russia, Kenya, Ukraine, England, Uganda, Morocco, Italy, Portugal, Canada, Romania and the US. And there are elite runners for all events."

Lever said it is a mixture of those elite runners contacting the IRW organisers or vice versa.

"A lot of the interest comes from us attending the numerous expos and events like the New York and Boston marathons over the past nine months. You really are planning all year round.

"For instance this weekend I have to go off the island (on personal business) but I am coincidently meeting with some people from a charity to organise them to come to IRW in 2009."

But it is the expos that contacts with the top runners are usually made. Lever said: "At these expos we talk to the runners and other organisers. For instance I was at the expo for the New York marathon this year ¿ it lasted three days and all the athletes have to come in and pick up there race numbers so that is when we can see them."

Lever added: "It is also not solely about IRW. We always have a member of the Department of Tourism with us and although we are selling Race Weekend we are also selling Bermuda in general."

IRW has had booths at Boston, Toronto, Chicago, and New York marathons as well as many smaller regional events. Thousands of postcards promoting the Bermuda event have been handed out and articles featuring Race Weekend have also appeared in the New England Runner magazine.

Another part of the attraction for the 2008 IRW is the fact that famous runner and speaker Kathrine Switzer is coming. "As part of the overall attraction we have Kathrine Switzer coming to Bermuda. She was officially the first lady to enter and complete the Boston Marathon and she is a well-known author and speaker these days and she has been promoting our event all around the world," said Lever adding, "and she is also coming in to take part in the Bermuda Triangle Challenge. She is going to take it on. And there is no money at stake ¿ all you get are a tee-shirt and a medal." Marathon Tours & Travel ¿ the official travel provider for IRW ¿ came up with the idea of the Triangle Challenge.

Lever added: "Switzer was also instrumental in getting the International Olympic Committee to accept the women's marathon as an event in 1984 in Los Angeles. She is very dynamic and she will also be speaking here as well."

Guests at host hotel, the Fairmont, will get an exclusive opportunity to receive running tips from Switzer who will share advice with fitness enthusiasts during inspirational clinics.

Besides the competitive races over Race Weekend in January, there is also the 10K Charity Walk.

The BTFA will partner with the Bermuda Diabetes Association in the 10K Charity Walk and are encouraging "everyone interested in keeping fit or losing weight to start training for this exciting walk. It is open to all ages and funds raised will help the Bermuda Diabetes Association in their fight against diabetes."

Earlier this year during the Mile series English runner Neil Speaight went one better than he managed in 2006 to win the KPMG Invitational Mile in a thrilling sprint finish.

But despite breaking the four-minute mile barrier indoors in the US last season he was unable to come close to the magic mark ¿ and the $10,000 bonus on offer ¿ although he was delighted to secure a victory in 4:12.3, just two hundreths of a second ahead of friend and two-time winner Jamie Thie of Wales.