As a CPA and soon-to-be MBA, Marcus O'Sullivan could come up with a few ways to make $10,000.

Breaking the four-minute barrier in the Bank of Butterfield Mile on Friday night is not one of them.

For the record, O'Sullivan is a three-time World Indoor Champion over 1,500 metres. He has broken four minutes 98 times, including just last month in Hawaii. He has a personal best of 3:50.94 to his name and has won the Bermuda event the past two years.

So when he says that claiming the ten-grand bonus for a sub-four minute clocking is about as likely as, oh, him beating Michael Johnson over 200 metres, you've got to figure the bank's money is safe for another year.

Told that officials think this could be the year Joe Falcon's six-year-old mark of 4:04.2 finally falls, O'Sullivan, recalling the tough Front Street course, hedges.

"I don't know,'' he said pessimistically. "Bermuda has got to meet us halfway somewhere. We're talking two hair-pin turns, a hill, a wind that usually comes up ...

"Other than that, it's usually a terrific evening.'' Considering it will be the first race of the season for most runners, O'Sullivan, the hot favourite in the eight-man field, remains sceptical about a new record.

"By no means is it a fair course for athletes,'' he said. "I mean, everyone is dumbfounded when they run it.'' Last year, O'Sullivan ran the second-fastest time of the past six years, under relatively benign conditions, spurred on by a huge crowd and being chased by Anthony Whiteman. His time: 4:04:09.

Whiteman won't be around this year, although Bermuda's Steve Burgess, who has served as race rabbit the past few years, has agreed to return in that capacity.

O'Sullivan won't go so far as to say four minutes is impossible, but then he's never said anything is impossible. Now 36 and approaching the end of his marvellous career, consistency and tenacity have long been his hallmarks.

He freely admits he is a man of "moderate'' talent who has earned his place through hard work.

"When I look back, the thing that stands out in my mind is that I got the most out of what I had in terms of talent and ability,'' he said.

Which is why you can't rule out him out on Friday, not when he has set a goal of two more four-minute miles this winter, giving him an even 100. Only John Walker and Steve Scott have more.

While this figures to be O'Sullivan's last year of regular competition on the European tour, he is certainly not through with Bermuda, which remains one of the favourite places for he, his wife Mary and their two children, Laura and Christopher.

"My wife handles most of my bookings and even if I was on crutches, I can perceive us making our way to Bermuda next year,'' laughed O'Sullivan, who is preparing for a career in finance once his running career ends.

In addition to Bermuda, O'Sullivan, who arrives in Bermuda tomorrow from Philadelphia, also sees himself taking part in other "novelty'' events as he enters semi-retirement.

Semi-retirement may also see him carry a different flag on his resume. While still commonly referred to as Irish -- he was born in Cork -- he has lived in the US for the past 18 years and is hinting at making his residence official.

Race Weekend entries, P14 LONGEST MILE -- Marcus O'Sullivan is expected to win his third straight Front Street Mile on Friday -- but doesn't expect to be the first to break four minutes.