WEST BLOOMFIELD (4/27/03) -- Troy's Donald Malen, 33, continues blooming at West Bloomfield.

Two years ago, Malen placed second to Doug Kurtis in the half-marathon, running a 1:14:50. He won last spring's race with a 1:13:09 PR, then repeated this year in 1:12:30. "It's surprising I run PRs on such a hard course," Malen said.

The man of Troy led from start to finish. "I wanted to go under 1:13 last year, but the cold weather got to me. This year conditions were perfect," Malen said.

Karl Zubal, 37, of Hazel Park, finished a distant second in 1:17:58. Third through fifth were Kraig Schmottlach, 36, of Mt. Clemens (1:18:23); Mike Wilusz, 24, of Royal Oak (1:22:53); and masters champ John Tarkowski, 50, of Garden City (1:24:26).

The women's race was a barn burner, with Highland Park's Barbara Clark, 39, edging Kerry Ury, 30, of Waterford, by five seconds.

Clark, who finished in 1:36:12, ran the first couple miles trailing a pack of three. "The others went out at a 6:30 pace," she said. "I went out in 6:45, which was faster than I wanted."

Clark passed the leaders after the aid station at two miles. "One of them (Ury) stayed on my tail the whole way," said Clark. "She was tough. I had to hold on at the end." "I had a lot left," said Ury, who had given birth three months earlier. "I thought I had another half-mile to go."

Following the leaders were Michelle Groechel, 39, of Farmington Hills (1:36:43); Jeanine McCloskey, 24, of Utica (1:37:52); and Diana Fernando, 36, of West Bloomfield (1:39:19). Sandy Schubert, 45, of Highland, finished masters queen in 1:45:36.

Adam Mancini, 23, of Ferndale, nipped Ben Reed, 17, of Ortonville, in the men's 5K. Both were clocked in 17:17. Kim Peterson, 34, of Farmington, was women's winner 19:16. Monica Czerwinski, 24, of Farmington Hills, placed second in 20:41.

The West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Department presented both races, plus a kids fun run. Sponsors included Singh Development Co. LTD., PizzaPapalis, La Croix, Cauley Chevrolet, Life Energy Health Vitality Chiropractic, and Running Fit. MR