It's time for an encore performance.

At least Deena Kastor hopes so.

After breaking Joan Benoit Samuelson's long-standing American record in 2003 and then winning the Olympic bronze medal last year in Athens, Deena, a major force on the world running scene, is hungry for more.

From her training center at Mammoth Lakes, CA, 8,000 feet above sea level, Deena has been locked in on one event since early in the year, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

On record as saying she wants to break 2:20, and on a good day, run a 2:18, Kastor, whose best time to date is her 2:21:16 at London in 2003, says all systems are go.

"My training for Chicago is going well," she said from the mountains right before Labor Day. "Right now, my main focus is to get as fit as possible for Chicago. I am hoping for a personal best."

Winning would be OK, too, and to do that on Chicago's magically fast course, 32-year-old Kastor will have to deal with 2004 champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania, intriguing Masako Chiba of Japan and others who could emerge from the pack.

"You've got to go with Deena as the favorite, but Constantina has really come on at the marathon distance," executive race director Carey Pinkowski said. "They both are in the primes of their careers, and this is a great opportunity to have them when they're at their best. And Chiba will be interesting, too."

The experienced Tomescu-Dita, 35, has a personal best of 2:22:50, run at London in April. She also ran the World Championships Marathon at Helsinki in August, placing third to British great Paula Radcliffe and Kenyan icon Catherine Ndereba, both former Chicago champions. The less-heralded Chiba, 29, has a personal best of 2:21:45, set when she placed second at the Osaka Ladies International Marathon in 2003.

For Tomescu-Dita, who won Chicago last year in 2:23:45, running two major marathons in just under two months is nothing new. She has done it several times.

"She's had great success with it," Pinkowski said. "Who are we to doubt her? At Helsinki, she took the race to Paula Radcliffe. That's the first time I've seen that when Paula is totally on. She forced the issue with her, and when you slug it out with Paula and then hang on for a medal (bronze), that's impressive."

Another runner to watch is 28-year-old Russian Albina Ivanova. She has run 2:25:35, but ran 2:28:22 for fifth in Chicago last year and won the Nagano Marathon in April in an almost identical 2:28:21. She is due to break one. Chicago might be her stage.

Polish stalwarts Malgorzata Sobanska, 35, and Syrek Grazyna, 33, also bring experience and savvy running to the table, and on the right day, both could be factors with their steady splits.

Then come the newer faces, the speedy young talents Pinkowski likes to throw in the mix against the seasoned veterans. You have to start with Russia's Tatyana Petrova, Great Britain's Kathy Butler, Japan's Eri Hayakawa and American Elva Dryer. All except Hayakawa are making their debuts.

Petrova, 21, is young for the marathon, but was the only one who tried to stay with Kastor in March when she broke the American 8K record with a 24:36 at The LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle. She's got speed. We'll see about the endurance.

Who will dial it in on Oct. 9? The answer is 26.2 miles long.