KALAMAZOO (4/24) - Was it deja vu? Last year, Aquinas College senior Eric Johnson ripped up the Borgess Run for the Health of It Half-Marathon to triumph in 1:12:39.

This year, another Aquinas alum, Paul Barrons, 24, of Kalamazoo, won easily. "I wanted to beat (Johnson's) time," Barrons said. "Did I do it?"

Yep!

Barrons clocked 1:12:27, fastest time here since Fred Bunn set the course record of 1:05:35 in 2001.

Barrons and the 748 other half-marathon finishers were blessed with a cool, sunny, perfect day. Taking the lead at about six miles, Barrons pulled away from Mathew Mayer, 25, and Matt Wintersteen, 23, both of Kalamazoo. Mayer, an assistant track coach at Kalamazoo Central High School, finished second in 1:14:29. Wintersteen followed right behind in 1:14:33.

Jessica Bliss, 24, of Merrillville, Ind., ran the first nine miles with her father, Bill Meece, 48, of Griffith, Ind.

"Dad was feeling good, so he took off (to finish in 1:24:40)," said Bliss, who had to "settle" for winning the women's title1:26:04.

"I felt good for the first six miles. At the end, I was just hanging on," Bliss continued. "I had a feeling someone was right behind me. I gave all I had to the finish line."

Megan James, 33, of Kalamazoo, finished runner-up in 1:26:28. Suzanne Larsen, 26, of Fenton, took third with a PR 1:28:08.

A couple of Olsens (not Mary Kate and Ashley) finished first among masters.

Jackson husband and wife Brian Olsen, 43, and Martha Olsen, 40, claimed men's and women's titles in 1:16:16 and 1:36:24 respectively.

East Grand Rapids couple Fred Bunn, 39, and Diane Deboer-Bunn, 35, swept the 5K open crowns.

Bunn, who holds the half-marathon course record, led all 960 "short race" entrants crossing in 15:51. Five-time champ Dan Higgason, 38, head track coach at Portage Northern High School, settled for second in 16:17.

Deboer-Bunn brought an end to the five-year reign of Theresa Padilla, 33, of Coldwater. Padilla (19:11) ran three seconds faster than her winning time last year. But she was no match for Deboer-Bunn, who blazed through the 5K in 18:07.

"Two other women led for the first half-mile," said the winner. "I passed them at that point, felt strong the whole way, and had a good push at the end."

"I had the same game plan," her husband said.

The Borgess Run for the Health of It weekend also included a Champions of Health Banquet, kids fun run, motivational mile, 5K "Have a Heart" Walk, and 5K race walk. For complete results, go to www.borgessrun.com. MR