Photo: Hamshivraj Dhamrat (l) and winner Rob Hruskovich battle for the Martian Marathon lead.

DEARBORN HEIGHTS (4/1/06) - What happens when the Martian Marathon takes place on April Fool's Day?

Martian Madness? No doubt about it.

Close to 2,400 runners and walkers crowded Hines Park Drive for the Martian Marathon, Half Marathon and Meteor 10K, presented by Running Fit. That more than doubled last year's record turnout of 1,100.

Many wore antennae and painted their faces green, as usual. A few even dressed in green grass skirts that appeared more Hawaiian than Martian (But who knows?).

The first-year Meteor 10K distributed $3,200 among the top five men and women, and the first three male and female masters. Boaz Cheboiywo, 27, of Ypsilanti, and Laurel Park, 43, of Ann Arbor, were overall winners.

Cheboiywo rocketed through the 5K mark in 14:59, then returned with the wind at his back to finish in 28:55, one of the fastest road 10Ks in state history.

"The race was definitely for second," said Steve Crane, 24, of Ypsilanti. "No one was catching Boaz."

Crane edged 2005 Michigan Runner of the Year Nick Stanko, 25, of Ann Arbor, by a step to claim second. Both runners clocked 30:24.

"The wind was a big factor," Crane said. "It was against us going out, but with us coming back." (The marathon, half marathon and 10K were all run on out-and-back courses.)

Park, women's 10K winner in 36:16, also noticed those Martian winds.

"There was a pack of three or four of us through the first four miles," she said. "It was so windy going out we were blowing into each other, knocking each other over. Everyone was a polite, saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' to each other.

"As we were nearing five miles, I pulled away. I don't think second place was too far behind me, though."

Lindsey Mills, 24, of Grand Rapids, finished six seconds behind Park in 36:22. Jackie Rzepecki, 27, of Rochester, came in third (36:33).

Lindsey Mills (no. 31) finished 2nd to Laurel Park (no. 24) in the Meteor 10K. Jackie Rzepecki (no. 25) was 3rd.

In the Martian Marathon, Rob Hruskovich, 37, of Niles, battled Hamshivraj Dhamrat, 28, of Ypsilanti, for much of the race. Dhamrat, the two-time defending champ, led the first six miles, then Hruskovich caught up to him.

"We were pretty tight until about mile 18," said Dhamrat. "Then he took a 10-second lead and held it. He ran a heck of race."

"I knew I was stronger on the hills," said Hruskovich. "So after I took the lead at 18, I pushed it on the hills and I think it helped. But I didn't feel like I had the race won until I crossed the finish line."

Hruskovich won in 2:47:19, just 21 seconds ahead of Dhamrat. Jerry Rief, 41, of Cheyenne, Wyo., was third in 2:54:08.

In another close, hard-fought finish, Justine Mosher, 21, of Queensbury, N.Y. (3:23:40) nipped Amy Yanni, 51, of Rapid City, S.D. (3:23:45). "I didn't know she was back there," said Mosher. Marian Zobler, 42, of Bethesda, Md., was third (3:32:47).

In the half marathon, Matt Bozung, 28, of Lansing (1:14:21) beat Shane Logan, 27, of Pontiac (1:16:14) and Neil Peruski, 36, of Oxford (1:16:14). For the women, Kimberly Peterson, 37, of Farmington (1:24:56) finished first, Kendra Lowe, 33, of Clinton Township (1:25:16) second, and Kelly McConnell, 25, of Bowling Green, Ohio, third (1:26:39). Among those competing in the half marathon was running legend Doug Kurtis, 54, of Northville. "The Martian was a good hard effort," he said in a post-race email. "I liked the new course.

"I know how much work goes into putting on an event this, and it's great to see it become a success," he said.

View highlights of the Martian Marathon and Meteor 10K at michiganrunner.tv/2006martian. MR