EAST GRAND RAPIDS (3/20/04) -- Sure signs of spring:

* Robins basking in sun.

* Baskin-Robbins cones melting in same.

* More than 2,000 runners - many dressed as leprechauns, all wearing bibs touting March as Colon Rectal Cancer Awareness Month - splashing through a monsoon in East Grand Rapids.

The Spectrum Health Irish Jig came of age Saturday, this year's vernal equinox, in wet fashion. And who better to win the 21st annual running of this 5K than Paul McMullen, an ex-Olympian who works full-time for the Coast Guard?

The powerfully-built McMullen was in his element, splashing and dashing through the deluge to win the men's race in a course-record 14 minutes, 41 seconds. That's a 4:44-mile pace.

McMullen, a 1500-meter semifinalistat the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, lost parts of two toes in a lawn-mowing accident the next year, ballooned to more than 200 pounds, came back to become the top US. miler in 2001, joined the Coast Guard reserves to improve his "mental toughness," then was called into active duty when the U.S. went to war with Iraq.

Now the Cadillac native, 32, hopes to again make the U.S. team in the 1500 for the 2004 Olympics. "I still have some pounds to shed," said McMullen, mopping off after the Jig. "But I felt pretty good today."

"McMullen" is Irish enough. But "Jazwinski"?

"My maiden name's Irish," laughed the women's champ, who locals remember as Katie Clifford, a two-time track state titlist while at Grand Rapids West Catholic High School.

As Katie Jazwinski, she won five Big Ten titles for the University of Michigan, where she was twice named All-American. Now she teaches phys ed and coaches, with husband Bob Jazwinski, at Dexter Middle School, near Ann Arbor.

She still runs too, as her 16:50 time testifies. But Jazwinski seemed more excited about her middle-school star, Bobby Aprill, 13, running 17- flat, right behind her, than she did about joining McMullen collecting $600 checks.

The Jig annually draws top runners from throughout Michigan, thanks in part to its $3,400 prize purse. Claiming $300 each for seconds were former Calvin College star Joel Klooster, 25, of Grand Rapids (14:46); and ex-Wake Forest All-American Seana Larson, 34, of Dexter (17:00).

Three other men hydroplaned home in fewer than 15 minutes: Ryan Desgrange, 24, of Belleville (14:54); veteran Paul Aufdemberge, 39, of Redford (14:58); and Ian Forsyth, 31, of Ann Arbor (14:58).

Mike Scannell, 41, of Grand Blanc, pocketed $150 for winning the men's masters (over age 40) title in 15:19.

The third- and fourth-place overall women - Laurel Park, 40, of Ann Arbor (17:25) and Monica Joyce, 45, of Pinckney (17:42) - were the top- two distaff masters.

Joyce, the 2002 Jig champion, is also an ex-Olympian. She ran in the 1984 Games - for Ireland, wouldn't you know.

The rainbow did not end there. Rachelle Elkins, 8, of Grand Rapids, collected a $100 pot o' gold as the best-dressed leprechaun.

Matt Kilroy, there too, was a leprechaun semifinalist. But the 48-year-old Grand Rapidian had the considerable consolation of finishing first among fifth-degree black belts in karate who performed, while running, on an authentic Irish penny whistle.

"They cost more than a penny these days," said Kilroy, who tours with a Celtic band called The Kwills. "But it makes folks smile when I play."

Even tooting tunes, Kilroy (23:42) had enough wind to outhoof Grand Rapids Symphony Music Director David Lockington (26:25). As puddles piled up, the maestro must have felt like he was amid Debussy's "La Mer."

This year's Jig drew 2,084 entrants, despite weather suitable for meeting at least one its sponsor's goals: making runners aware of colon and rectal cancer. Or some sort of pain there, anyway.

Kilroy loved it. "Rain? It's beautiful," said the leprechaun. "It washes away the winter and helps the flowers grow.

"It's grand being alive in spring." MR