Front Street Mile record holder Ashley Couper has insisted that she will not be putting pressure on herself to break the record for a second straight year, despite admitting that she feels in the best shape of her life.

The 25-year-old middle distance runner will be returning to Stanford University in California in the New Year to fulfil her commitments for just over a week, before taking a few days off to return to the Island to compete in the prestigious annual race.

But with her training partner and biggest local rival Tamika Williams not competing in this year's event, to be held as part of Race Weekend between January 16 and 18, Couper doubted whether she would seriously endanger the time of 4.57.46.

"I'm not going all out to break the record this year," she said.

"If it happens, great, but I'm not going to worry if I don't. Also last year I had Tamika running really hard at me at the start which obviously improved my time. This year I don't think I'll have anybody to do that and what I need to break the record again is for somebody to push me at least through 800 metres."

Couper revealed that after what she felt was a "disappointing" showing at the Pan Am Games in August, she took a couple of weeks off, "to forget about running for a while" before returning to the track with renewed vigour.

In a typical week, Couper now puts herself through two gruelling track sessions, one 11 mile run and frequent gym work, before allowing herself one day off.

Indeed, so impressed is her coach with her recent training performances, that he has promoted her up to work with the top runners on the US-based Nike Farm team, which, among others includes Nicole Teter, the current American indoor 800 metre record holder.

"I took it easy in September with only light training but since last month I've really been picking it up," she said.

"My coach obviously likes what he sees because he has granted me the opportunity to train with the best runners on the Nike Farm team. They are pushing me to the limit and I am starting to find out what I am really capable of. Training alongside them has been a real confidence booster for me and I'm really happy with my form and my progress."

Although her immediate concern is to prepare properly for the defence of her Front Street Mile title as well as two subsequent track meets in Seattle, Couper admitted that the 2004 Olympics are never far from her mind.

She is well aware however that the qualifying times she will be required to satisfy will demand that she performs at her absolute best.

"The Olympics is obviously in my sights," she said.

"But it is a pretty big step for me and I am not hanging all my hopes and dreams on it. If I don't qualify I will not be devastated ? just as long as I have run faster than I have ever done in trying to get there."

Meanwhile, on a separate issue, Couper revealed that she was "disappointed" that she would not be able to represent the Island at the World Cross Country Championships in 2004, after being unaware that in order to be eligible she had to be in Bermuda to compete at the National Cross Country Championships in early November.

According to Couper, she sent an e-mail to the Bermuda Track and Field Association asking what was required of her in order to be included.

After waiting several weeks for a reply and not receiving one, she contacted the BTFA in early November, only to be told she had missed the boat.

"It is a big deal to me to be able to compete internationally because it is always a great experience to run against world class runners," she said.

"I ran in a cross country race in California in November and did a lot better than either I or my coach expected. So I would have been very keen to take part at the Worlds and of course I'm disappointed. But I've already put it behind me and am looking at other things."