The athletic careers of Russian twins Olesya and Elena Nurgalieva are mirror images.

They competed in cross country skiing for 14 years.

Their first marathon was in 2003 in Durban, South Africa. Elena won the event and Olesya was runner-up.

They train together and try to enter the same marathons.

Tomorrow, expect Olesya and Elena to be among the top women's finishers at the Honolulu Marathon, which starts at the Ala Moana/Queen Street Extension and ends at Kapi'olani Park.

Olesya and Elena, 30, plan to start side-by-side, but may the better sister eventually pull away.

In their Honolulu Marathon debuts last year, Olesya won in 2 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds and Elena finished fourth in 2:38:50.

Through interpreter Mikalai Litvin, Olesya said it was "absolute happiness" when she broke the tape.

She added: "It was a big event in Russia and it was in the news on TV as well as in newspapers and on the Internet."

They were born Jan. 9, 1976, with Elena older by 15 minutes.

They love to compete against each other.

"Subconsciously, yes, it does exist. It started at an early age," Litvin said. "They've been very competitive with each other at school. It is never shown outside to other people, but internally it does exist."

Olesya and Elena said they participate in three or four marathons every year.

This was the first year they haven't run in the same events because Elena was injured in 2005 and chose to run in ultra-marathons, which are longer but slower paced.

Olesya has competed in the Boston and Turin (Italy) marathons this year. Elena ran ultra-marathons in Cape Town, South Africa (56K) and Durban (89K).

"We are professional runners," Elena said. "Marathons are a job for us, not only like a hobby."

Elena said they run 160 to 180 miles a week at a low speed in preparation for a marathon, and about a month prior to the race they cut back and try to establish a pace similar to what they'll do in a marathon.

Olesya and Elena enjoyed cross country skiing, but couldn't reach the elite level because of financial factors.

"Unlike marathons where it depends entirely on the person, skiing depends 50 percent on the equipment," Litvin said. "They didn't have enough money to purchase the equipment."

Through marathon running, Olesya and Elena have earned enough money to buy apartments in their hometown of Perm, Russia, which is southeast of Moscow.

TOP WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

OLESYA NURGALIEVA

Age: 30

Country: Russia

Lifetime best: 2:29:35 (New York City 2005)

Best Honolulu Marathon finish: First (2005)

2005 finish: First (2:30:24)

Bib number: 1




ERI HAYAKAWA

Age: 25

Country: Japan

Lifetime best: 2:28:11 (Honolulu 2004)

Best Honolulu Marathon finish: First (2003)

2005 finish: Second (2:32:59)

Bib number: 2




ALBINA IVANOVA

Age: 29

Country: Russia

Lifetime best: 2:25:35 (Chicago 2003)

Best Honolulu Marathon finish: Second (2002)

2005 finish: Did not race

Bib number: 3




ELENA NURGALIEVA

Age: 30

Country: Russia

Lifetime best: 2:29:49 (Frankfurt 2004)

Best Honolulu Marathon finish: Fourth (2005)

2005 finish: Fourth (2:38:50)

Bib number: 5




ALEVTINA BIKTIMIROVA

Age: 24

Country: Russia

Lifetime best: 2:25:12 (Frankfurt 2005)

Best Honolulu Marathon finish: Race debut

Bib number: 6




LYUBOV DENISOVA

Age: 35

Country: Russia

Lifetime best: 2:25:18 (New York City 2004)

Best Honolulu Marathon finish: Race debut

Bib number: 11