with the knowledge that college student Terrance Armstrong will not be there to answer the starter's gun come May 25.

Armstrong last year set the race afire, during and after, when he helped establish a torrid pace out of the west end with an unknown college room-mate (Lance Hess) and eventual winner Mike Watson, will be taking final exams during the next few weeks thus making him unavailable to compete in the annual classic.

To make matters worse, the 20-year-old Armstrong has been forced out of action for much of the outdoor track season due to a mysterious knee injury. He has not been able to run for the past three weeks and does not anticipate doing anything too strenuous for the next week or so.

This is a definite blow to the event as Armstrong combined with Watson to produce one of the more exciting -- and controversial -- duels in recent memory fuelled by the unofficial inclusion of Armstrong's Rider College room-mate Hess figuring in the demise of the rest of the field, a move that almost cost the young Bermudian his second-place finish.

Last year's race director Mike Charles initially disqualified Armstrong, but later relented, allowing Armstrong's placing and time of 1:13:22 to stand.

Armstrong said that winning the Derby remains on of his goals he would have liked to have been able to come down and compete, however his education must come first.

"I'm very much disappointed at not being able to run, but I'll be in school anyway, said Armstrong, a junior at Rider. "It would be good to win the marathon. Up to now I've just run it for fun.'' The element of surprise may also be missing in the absence of Armstrong as he often arrived as an unknown quantity having done most of his training overseas. Rival runners could not know what to expect and even though Watson was able to overcome the challenge of Hess to win the 1991 title he paid the price, requiring medical assistance at the end for dehydration.

After finishing second the past two years Armstrong stood to benefit from the absence of Watson this year and possibly make the next step up to the winner's circle.

However, Kavin Smith -- at least until suffering an ankle sprain -- and Tracy Wright have been in fine form thus far this season, with Smith in particular a dominating forced. And even if Armstrong had been available he would surely have faced a tough battle.

As it stands Armstrong, majoring in accounting, will attend summer school and try to make up credits in order to graduate on time next year. He said that he does not anticipate taking part in any track meets during this period, but aims to run some cross-country races in September.

FLASHBACK -- Terrance Armstrong, right, in the early stages of last year's race with college buddy Lance Hess at left and winner Mike Watson, partially hidden at right.