Anthony Famiglietti and the guys figured they knew how to get the best of Meb Keflezighi.

Keflezighi had run the Quad-City Times Bix 7 four times before Saturday and had been in the top five each time, winning the race in 2002. But his rivals in Saturday's 35th annual Bix figured if they just pushed the pace really hard really early, Keflezighi would wilt.

"That was the idea,'' Famiglietti said. "Just take the legs out of him.''

They figured wrong.

Keflezighi left everyone else in the field of 15,237 far behind before he even reached the McClellan Boulevard turnaround and cruised to one of the most comfortable victories in recent Bix history. His winning margin of 31 seconds was the largest since his 52-second win here in 2002.

"I don't like to leave it until the last 100 meters or 400 meters or even the last mile,'' Keflezighi said. "I like to finish it earlier than that.

"And I did.''

His winning time of 32 minutes, 25 seconds is the third best ever run by an American on this course. Only Marc Nenow in 1989 and Ken Martin in 1991 did it faster.

Keflezighi's time was one second faster than he did it in 2007 and 11 seconds better than his winning time of 2002.

And after battling a hip injury for the better part of two years, the 34-year-old native of Eritrea figured this victory also was more gratifying.

"Being able to win here in 2002 was great,'' he said, "but this one is even sweeter.''

Keflezighi took a new car from Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza as his first prize rather than taking the $12,500 cash prize, as most Bix winners to. He also took the car when he won here in 2002. He said he and his wife, Yordanos, are expecting their third child and a second vehicle will come in handy.

Famiglietti finished second in a time of 32:56. James Carney was third in 33:17 with a cluster of five other runners finishing within 15 seconds of one another behind him.

Famiglietti, a two-time Olympian in the steeplechase and one the most relentless runners around, was the one who really stepped out to push the pace. He took the lead near the top of the Brady Street Hill and ran the second mile in a blistering 4:09. He planned to hold the lead until the turnaround, then let Keflezighi edge ahead of him.

"Then I was just going to let him drag me to the finish line because I know he knows how to run the second half of this race,'' Famiglietti said. "But he took over earlier than I thought. Meb really ran a smart race.''

It was in the third mile, along Kirkwood Boulevard, that Keflezighi answered the challenge.

"It was just like 'OK, let's get the show going,'" he said. "(Famiglietti) pushed it. He's a very aggressive runner, but I like to go to the front."

By the 4-mile mark, he had a 20-yard lead on Famiglietti. No one else was even within sight.

"I assumed that James (Carney) and the other guys would come with me and we'd have a good chase pack,'' Famiglietti said. "That didn't happen either.''

Keflezighi's pursuers said it was his determination and speed that decided the race, not any difficulties they had with the rugged, up-and-down course.

"It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be,'' Carney said. "Looking at it, that hill looked really intimidating.''

"It wasn't nearly as steep as I thought it would be,'' Famiglietti added.

Eight of the top 10 men's finishers were running the Bix for the first time. Only Keflezighi and sixth-place finisher Josh Moen, a former Wartburg College runner, had been here before.