RANCHO SANTA FE —— They came a long distance to run a long distance in the rain.

Peter Vekas, a track specialist visiting from Hungary, and Joanna Zieger, a professional triathlete who trains out of Boulder, Colo., were the overall winners on Sunday in the 37th running of the San Dieguito Half Marathon.

More than 800 finishers in the 13.1-mile half marathon and another 267 finishers in the 5K braved soggy conditions for the event, which started and finished at San Dieguito County Park.

"The rain was OK," said Vekas, 22. "It was warm, not like in Hungary right now, where it is snowing."

Vekas pulled away from San Diego's David Volk to win with a time of 1 hour, 11 minutes, 35 seconds. Vekas and Volk ran together through much of the race and were shoulder to shoulder at the turnaround point near the San Dieguito Reservoir.

"This was more of a training run for me," said Vekas, who was participating in his first San Diego-area event. "I didn't run to compete."

"He pulled away from me on the last hill and was looking around like he was in complete control," said Volk, who followed Vekas through the finish chute in 1:11:46.

Originally from San Francisco, Volk resides in University Heights and is employed by a private equity firm in Rancho Santa Fe.

"I would be out here training on a Sunday anyway, so this was a good race for me," said Volk, 28, who plans to compete in the Rotterdam Marathon on April 10.

Early pace-setter Javier Zavala of Chula Vista was eventually passed by Vekas, Volk and Alliant International University cross country standout Josephat Keino, who placed third in 1:12:03. Zavala was fourth, and pro triathlete Simon Lessing, a South African champion who trains out of Boulder, was fifth.

Zieger made her homecoming a successful one with her convincing win in the women's race with a time of 1:19:19. A graduate of Patrick Henry High, where she was a standout swimmer, Zieger improved from her runner-up finish here a year ago, when she was clocked in 1:20:38.

"My goal was to break 1:20, and I did that," said Zieger, 32. "It was a little slippery out there, but I love this course. It has some tough hills, but it's a perfect-sized race, so you don't feel too cramped.

"It was a good test to see where I'm at."

Zieger, who had not been in a competitive race since November, plans to return to international triathlon competition at the California Half Ironman on March 19 in Oceanside.

The women's runner-up was Ellen McKay, a senior at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Her time was 1:24:34, and Carlsbad's Susanne Davis was third in 1:25:14.

"This was my first race since I ran here two years ago," said McKay, 21, a third-place finisher in the 2003 San Dieguito Half. "I love running in the rain; it's to my advantage. I'm used to training in it."

Another world-class triathlete, eight-time Ironman world champion Paula Newby-Fraser of Encinitas, was also among the leading female finishers, placing second in the women's 40-44 age group with a time of 1:36:38.

Contact staff writer Rick Hoff at (760) 740-3545 or rhoff@nctimes.com.