transition from high-class to world-class -- but only with some financial backing.

Smith, 31, says he has written dozens of letters to some of the richest companies based on the Island in his bid for the backing which would allow him to concentrate fully on training.

But the support he needs to join in group training with elite overseas runners -- the only way he can envisage being able to match them on the world stage -- has never been forthcoming.

Smith has long been established as Bermuda's top runner and highlighted his continuing improvement last month by winning the annual Bermuda Sun Half-Marathon in a record time of 1:08:51.

"I've been winning races for a long time and my times are getting progressively better, but to compete with the top international runners, I need to be concentrating on my training full-time,'' said Smith.

His dedication and commitment to keep getting better is evident in the Bermuda Telephone Company worker's arduous training schedule.

Smith tries to cover at least 10 miles per day, allowing himself one day off per week. To do this while holding down his job, he must get up at 5.10 each morning and be pounding the roads by 5.30 a.m.

"I'm addicted to running in the mornings now, I've been doing it so long. If I miss a couple of days, I really suffer for it. You earn improvement, the more training you do.'' More training is what Smith wants to do, preferably with the sort of top-class athletes who could push him to the limit -- and he has tried and tried again to make his dream become reality.

"I've written dozens of letters to companies, some of them multi-million-dollar companies, and I think that me doing well in international competition for Bermuda would reflect well on them.

"I feel I've done my part by winning races and putting in the training to keep on improving and I think I'm respected for my contribution to running in Bermuda, but I'm tired of trying for the help I need to get better.'' Smith, who turns 32 next month, felt he could keep bringing down his personal best times for at least another three years.

"I'd love to be in an environment where I could just concentrate on training, like the Kenyans who push each other constantly to new limits and break world records in training,'' he added.

Smith cited International Race Weekend, the top event on Bermuda's road-racing calendar, as a perfect example of his frustrations.

"To be honest, I hate Race Weekend. It comes at a bad time of year for me, when I've had little race practice and I come up against top international runners who have been pushing themselves in group training.'' Smith will decide from the 10K and half-marathon to run competitively.

KAVIN SMITH -- Written to `dozens of companies' in an effort to secure sponsorship for overseas training.

RUNNING RUN