Photo: Runners at the 1 Mile mark pass Tiger Stadium at sunrise.

(10/21/2007)-- The winds of change blew strong at the 30th Annual Detroit Free Press Flagstar Marathon presented by WDIV Local 4, as newcomers, Christopher Kiprotich of Kenya and Anzhelika Averkova of Ukraine won the 26.2-mile race, and Lance Jones (seventh overall) and Marybeth Reader (fifth among the women) topped all Michigan runners for the first time.

The course for the marathon, half marathon, and 5K also changed, as it started on Washington Street and finished outdoors at Campus Martius Park instead of indoors at Ford Field (home of the Detroit Lions). Runners and walkers seemed to welcome the change, as a record 16,108 participated. (The previous record was 15,761 set last year.)

Christopher Kiprotich (bib no. 19) of Kenya won the Detroit Free Press / Flagstar Marathon. Kiprotich had established a lead on fellow Kenyan, Hillary Lelei, at the 20 mile mark. Lelei (BIB #20) eventually finished second behind Kiprotich.

In the men's race, the 26-year-old Kiprotich had thoughts of challenging the course record (2:13:07, set in 1980) and maybe even his personal record of 2:12:00. But those hopes were dashed when he slammed into a headwind with about four miles left in the race.

"I think I can run 2:13 or 2:14 at the beginning, but the winds are very strong at the end." Kiprotich said.

Finishing in 2:15:15, Kiprotich beat out the 2003 champ, fellow Kenyan, Hillary Lelei, who captured second place (2:18:17). Another Kenyan, 23-year-old Henry Githuka took third (2:21:52).

In the marathon, Kiprotich, who has been training in Mexico, had a pack of about nine runners with him going into the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, a little over eight miles into the race. Then Kiprotich, Lelei, and Githuka broke away from the rest of field as they emerged from the tunnel.

"I run with them (Lelei and Githuka) until 16 miles," Kiprotich said. "Then I start to push and I see there is no one responding. And I push again and by 17 miles I get away."

Lelei tried to stay with Kiprotich, but an injury prevented that.

"I have a problem in my calf, so I have to slow down," said the 28-year- old Lelei.

Lelei tipped his hat to Kriprotich, though.

"He was stronger than me today," he said.

In seventh place, Lance Jones, 22, of Detroit finished in 2:27:23 ahead of his friend, Matt Fecht, 23, of Warren (2:32:47, ninth overall), to claim top honors among Michigan runners. (Jones and Fecht are both assistant coaches for the cross country team at Wayne State University.) Finishing 2:42:11, Patrick Lencioni, 42, of Ann Arbor was the masters champ.

Photo: Women's winner: Anzhelika Averkova of Ukraine

Anzhelika Averkova finished nearly five minutes ahead of Wioletta Kryza of Poland, who won this race in 2005 and took second last year. Averkova, who led from start to finish, timed 2:34:50 to Kryza's 2:41:30.

In third place, Alysun Deckert, 41, of Seattle, came into the race hoping to break 2:47:00 and qualify for the 2008 Olympic Trials in Boston. With a time of 2:46:02, she did that and she also was the top masters runner in the race.

Laurie Knowles, 30, of Atlanta, who had already qualified for the Trials when she entered, timed 2:47:46 and finished fourth. Following her, Marybeth Reader, 38, of Bloomfield Hills, took fifth place with a time of 2:50:45 and was happy to be the first Michigan woman across the finish line.

"The wind just knocked me out today!" said Reader, who was hoping to qualify for the Trials.

"From 22 (miles) to home, I was absolutely dying," Reader added.

In other races, the half marathon was won by Mario Iozzo, 31, of Windsor (1:09:48) and Andrea Lamantia, 25, of Windsor (1:26:09). The 5K was won by Nick Stanko, 26, of Haslett, and Mollie Harms, 21, of Sterling Heights.

For more information, go to www.detroitmarathon.com.