LANSING (9/26/04) - Call them the Killer B's. Matt Bozung and Lisa Bignall, both from Haslett, ran away with the 10-mile competition at the 12th annual Capital City River Run, hosted by Impression 5 Science Center.

It was the first 10-mile race Bignall, 37, had run.

"I felt good," she said. "Really strong. I don't know that I ran negative splits, but I felt strong at the end. Better than I feel in a lot of 5Ks."

Bignall battled early for the lead with 35-year-old Nikki Norris, who eventually finished fourth in 1:10:45. "I was ahead of her most of the way," said Bignall. "I think she passed me once for a few seconds between two and three miles. But I led the rest of the way."

Bignall crossed in 1:06:14, followed by masters queen Connie Benedict, 43, of Okemos (1:08:58) and Jill Evers-Bower, 37, of Kent City (1:09:39).

The winner hopes to graduate soon to the marathon. "I like longer races," Bignall said. "I think they're more suited to me."

Bozung likes longer races too. "I went out really quick," said the men's winner, 26. "Then I settled down. I went through halfway (five miles) in 26 minutes. Then I just tried to hold on at the end."

Bozung set a huge PR with his time of 52:35. His best previous effort was 55:40. "It seems like I'm setting PRs every time I race," said Bozung, who has also set new bests at 8K and 5K so far this year.

Top master Eric Stuber, 41, of Lansing, finished second (55:39). Grant Woodman, 30, of Albion, took third in 56:19.

With bright sunshine and the temperature in the 60s, the River Run had a record-setting day with 907 participants in the 5K and 10-mile races, and 20-mile training run. Another166 children ages 12 and under took part in the Smile Mile and quarter-mile Slime Dash.

In the 5K, Patrick Nehrman, 23, of Lansing (15:58) beat runner-up, Sean Pack, 21, of Kalamazoo (16:06).

"It felt difficult at first, because I haven't raced in a while," said Nehrman. "But after the first mile I felt comfortable and I was able to pick it up at the end."

Kari Chandler, 51, of Okemos (20:46) edged Jaimelyn Kost, 21, of East Lansing by two seconds in the women's 5K.

"I never knew she was there," said Chandler of Kost. "I just ran my own race as fast as I could."

"I wish I had started my kick a little sooner, because I had a lot left at the end," Kost said.

To learn more about the event, go to www.ccriverrun.org. Find searchable results at michiganrunner.net. MR