Question: When is a rabbit not a rabbit? Answer: When he has a carrot worth $25,000 dangled in front of him.

Certainly that seems to apply to American Jeff Kuzma, one of the two men selected to set a rapid pace in the early stages of the Front Street Mile next Friday.

Kuzma, who sports a best of 1:46.50 for the 800 metres, and countryman Steven Meyers, were originally recruited to lead the other runners, who are stronger finishers, out at a rate that would make it possible for one of them to go under the four-minute mark and claim the huge purse. The `rabbits' themselves rarely win, their efforts having usually been spent by the 800-1200 metre mark. But Kuzma has now asked organisers of the event to reconsider his role.

The 29-year-old Kuzma, of Colorado Springs, said 1999 was the first year that he had the opportunity to train full-time and now has his sights set on representing the US in the 800 at the Olympics.

Race Weekend Committee chairman Phil Guishard joked: "Kuzma has asked for the opportunity to run without having to set the pace. "Obviously the lure of $25,000 has made him think again. I'm sure we'll be able to come to an amicable agreement.'' The pace-setter's role has taken on greater significance this year with the capture already of three names who have gone under the four-minute mark more than once. By gun time next Friday night, five competitors are expected to line-up with the achievement to their names. Three of them are Kenyans, with Ben Kapsoiya's 3:53.3 the fastest time among them, while Amos Kipyegon boasts a 3:54.3 and Sammy Ngeno a 3:58.7.

The prize money, put up by the Bank of Butterfield, is made up of $2,000 for first place, a $3,000 bonus for an athlete beating the current event record of 4:04.2 and the $20,000 -- double last year's offering -- for the first athlete to run under four minutes.

Guishard said he thought the increase in bonus money had attracted a greater degree of interest than usual, although he was regarding it as a "long-term plan. He added: "The publicity it will generate, whether the mark is beaten or not, will help to attract the top athletes in greater numbers in the years to come. "It's a win-win situation.'' RUNNING RUN