Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

NORTHVILLE (3/29/03) -- Costumed green-faced aliens, complete with antennae protruding from heads, vied with 500 humans in the Running Fit Martian Marathon and Half-Marathon three days before April Fool's. A Minnesotan won the 26.2-mile race. "I've never won a marathon before," said Jay Johnson, 43, of Sauk Rapids, Minn. "I finished second once in a smaller race. But this is a shock."

Johnson, who has completed 68 marathons in 39 states, seemed to relish the big chill -- including flurries. "I'm used to running in 20 degrees below zero," he said. "This is warm for me."

Photo by Charles Douglas McEwen

So warm that he stripped off his shirt and finished bare-chested. "I overheated towards the end," Johnson shrugged after crossing in 2:56:56. Larry Gutierrez, 42, of Fenton, finished second (3:03:52) and Michael Webster, 43, of Northville, third (3:05:24).

Women's champ Marybeth Reader, 34, of West Bloomfield, was surprised by her triumph too. "I was going to see how I felt at mile 12 and maybe drop out after 22," Reader said. "But I felt good, so I kept going. "My 3:30:01 time? I'll take that," Reader said. Jennifer Hoffman, 29, of Ann Arbor, placed second in 3:37:36. Terry Krystek, 48, of Erie, claimed third and was masters winner in 3:40:54.

Aaron Price, 26, of Ann Arbor, won the half-marathon in 1:14:15. Joerg Schmidt, 39, of Grand Rapids, took second (1:17:40) and Vince Mellado, 40, of Clinton Township third (1:22:20).

Patricia Murray, 31, of Livonia, was the women's "half" winner in 1:23:39, followed by Jami Grant, 23, of Kewadin (1:33:31) and Diana Light, 29, of Ann Arbor (1:34:10).

Race proceeds went to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training.

For complete results, visit www.martianmarathon.com. MR