FLUSHING (3/20) -- Like the month of March, this year's Shillelagh Four-Mile came in like a lion and went out like a lamb.

"Right before the race began, we had a downpour," recalled men's champ Matt Bozung. "Just as we were finishing, the rain stopped and the sun came out. It turned into a beautiful day."

Bozung, 26, of East Lansing, found his first Shillelagh a competitive race indeed.

"A pack of four of us went through the mile split in 5:01," he said. "At about two and half miles, Kirk Walrath and another guy were still beside me. Then I surged up a hill. It gave me a lead I maintained to the finish line.

Bozung finished 20:42. Walrath, of Fenton, ran a 20:59, placing second here for the second year in a row. Brett Sanborn, of Rochester, came in third (21:18). James Thompson of Owosso was the first masters finisher (22:29).

Suzanne Larsen, 26, of Fenton, won her second-straight women's title. Last year, hoping to run under 26 minutes, she completed four miles in 25:33. This year, Larsen was almost a minute better, crossing in 24:35.

Her closest rivals were Julie Wagner of Chelsea (25:39) and Melissa Lauderbaugh of Flint (25:48). Sonia Fisher, of Grand Blanc, was women's masters champ in 25:52.

Race director John Gault, of Riverbend Striders, said close to 1,000 runners and walkers turned out for this year's Shillelagh.

"That's about what we usually get," Gault said. "We had to change the course some this year, because we couldn't get access to the high school, but everything went real well."

For complete race results, go www.gaultracemanagement.com. MR