Perennial favourite Chris Estwanik has not ruled out competing in the Appleby Bermuda Half-Marathon Derby.

The six-times winner, who holds the records for both courses, has been blighted by injury but hopes to recover in time for the island’s biggest road race.

“I’ve still got six days to potentially heal and if my body allows it, I’d like to give it a go,” Estwanik said on his chances of competing in the 13.1-mile race.

“I’ve a couple of fractures in my femur on my right leg and a potential one on the left, and have torn a portion of my hip.

“I don’t know how it happened because I’ve only been running maybe 15 miles a week.

“I was actually trying to do cross-training and be smart, but it may just be years and years of culmination of the pounding and it’s an unlucky time frame.”

Estwanik, the husband of six-times women’s winner Ashley Estwanik, is tied with Ed Sherlock with six wins and three behind Kavin Smith’s record of nine.

“It’s killed me to sit out every year that I have already, so that’s one reason why I am keeping my options open,” said Estwanik, who has missed three out of the past four May 24 races.

“I’ve run six and won six and missed three and this would be the fourth so I’d really like to get out and participate if I can.”

Estwanik won the first race starting from St George’s in decades in 2015, a course he described as gruelling.

“I think that the longer hills coming from the east is what beats people up the most, including myself,” he said.

“Then again if you get that cross wind coming across the Causeway then it can obviously add some time to the course.

“But overall the fans come out for both courses, which is fantastic, and it’s nice to mix it up and see different sights on the island and give people that live on that side the opportunity to walk outside and cheer people on.”

Lamont Marshall, who won last year’s race in Estwanik’s absence, will also be missing as he looks to qualify in the 3,000 metres steeplechase for the IAAF World Championships in London in August.

Estwanik wore a business suit as he ran the United Airlines New York City Half-Marathon in 1hr 11 min 36 sec in March.

That time was seven minutes quicker than the Guinness World Record for the fastest half-marathon run in a suit.

He has also won the Lindo’s to Lindo’s 10K and Gosling’s to Fairmont Southampton Road Race this year.