Ndereba wins 4th straight Course record set; Kenyan men cruise

CAPE ELIZABETH – Kenya’s Catherine Ndereba surged across the finish line of the Fourth Peoples Beach to Beacon 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) road race Saturday, besting rival Lornah Kiplagat of Kenya and posting a new course record of 31 minutes, 34 seconds.

Her diminutive form was a familiar sight to the 10,000 spectators who lined the course to cheer for the woman who has won all four Beach to Beacons. Images of Ndereba claiming the laurel wreath and the $7,500 first-place prize money have become so common that it might have been tempting to take her victory for granted.

But Ndereba, even though she is currently the world’s top-ranked road racer, knew better than that. After all, it was she who had to test her legs and her lungs against a field that included the world’s second-, third- and fourth-ranked women.

“This year is the best competition there has ever been,” she said, adding that her competitors helped to push her to tie the fastest time she has ever run over the distance.

Kiplagat, ranked second in the world, finished just behind Ndereba in 31:36. South Africa’s Elana Meyer (32:19), Ethiopia’s Eyrusalem Kuma (32:44) and Romania’s Luminita Talpos (32:49) rounded out the top five.

In the men’s race, 23-year-old Evans Rutto led a four-man Kenyan contingent across the line, clocking 28:30. He was followed by James Koskei (28:32), defending champion Joseph Kimani (28:35), Abraham Chebii (29:05) and Shaun Creighton of Australia (29:19).

In the masters competition (40 years old and over), Judy St. Hilaire, 41, of Somerset, Mass., claimed her second consecutive crown in 33:53 and Kenyan Andrew Masai, 41, defended his title in 29:37. Both were seventh in the overall competition. Wheelchair athletes Laurie Stephens of Wenham, Mass., (30:51) and Tony Nogueria of Glenn Ridge, N.J., (24:59) were also repeat champions.

The Maine-only category, however, saw two new champions in Andy Spaulding of Freeport (31:29) and Christine Snow-Reaser of Dayton (36:13). Spaulding held off 20-year-old Bates College standout Justin Easter (31:45) and Bob Winn of Ogunquit (31:54). Byrne Decker of Yarmouth (32:19) and Michael Payson of Falmouth (32:23) rounded out the top five.

Maggie Hanson of Bowdoinham was second among the Mainers in 37:35. She was trailed by three-time defending champion Julia Kirtland of Brunswick (37:59), Michela Adrian of Portland (38:18), and Rose Prest-Morrison of Limerick (38:30).

In the women’s race, Kiplagat bolted from the line as if daring the rest of the field to follow her. Nderba took up the challenge and they battled it out, dropping Meyer in the early stages.

Ndereba said that after three miles she decided to try to control the pace. She hoped to tire the speedy Kiplagat, who usually has a faster finishing sprint than Ndereba. Kiplagat’s 10K personal best is 43 seconds faster than Ndereba’s.

Ndereba’s strategy worked, as she looked comfortable out-running Kiplagat down the finishing straight.

Ndereba and Kiplagat were both using the race as a tune-up in their preparation for the Chicago Marathon in October. Last year Ndereba and Kiplagat were first and second in Chicago, with Ndereba claiming that victory in 2 hours, 21 minutes, 33 seconds. Her time at Chicago was just 12 seconds off the course record that Beach to Beacon race founder Joan Benoit Samuelson of Freeport set there in 1985.

Ndereba said Samuelson is one of her role models and that she is one of the reasons she enjoys the Beach to Beacon.

“I keep coming back because I love Maine, I love the whole community … And I love Joan Benoit, she’s such a nice lady … This is my second home,” she said.

Kiplagat said the race was difficult for her because she is logging 130 miles per week in her preparation for Chicago and she did not take a rest to refresh herself for this race. So when Ndereba made her final surge with a half mile remaining, she could not challenge her.

“The focus is Chicago. I was second to Catherine last year and I had a calf injury that time … But I don’t want payback, I’m not that type of a runner … She’s a really good friend of mine,” she said.

In the men’s race, Rutto bided his time until the last quarter mile before unleashing his sprint finish. He said the hills on the course made for a tactical race, with the men running cautiously and trying to gauge their opponents’ strengths on the upgrades.

“I tried to go in the last two miles. But from the guys sticking together, it was hard to run away from them,” he said.

The men were so careful early in the race that a pack of eight hung close for nearly two miles, trailing leader John Kagwe of Kenya by about five seconds. Kagwe faded quickly when he was overtaken, and by three miles it was down to the four Kenyans and Tekeste Kebede of Ethiopia.

Overcast skies and coastal fog spared the runners from the hot weather that had baked Cape Elizabeth for several days before the race. High humidity, however, just prevented the race from having perfect weather conditions.