CAPE ELIZABETH – For the first time in the five-year history of the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K, Catherine Ndereba’s name was not at the top of the women’s final standings list.

And while first-time runner Adriana Fernandez of Mexico was dethroning the 6.2-mile race’s reigning queen, the men’s race remained true to form with the fifth different champion in five years.

Although the name of the first man to cross the finish line at Fort Williams Park had changed, the nationality of the winner had not as Kenyan James Koskei, the 2001 runner-up, charged to the front in the last half-mile and outkicked South African Henrick Ramaala down the stretch to win by one second. Defending champion Evans Rutto finished eight seconds back in third place.

“Last year, I didn’t kick early enough so this year, I started kicking earlier,” said Koskei, who at age 33 is the 10th-ranked road racer in the world. “I kept watching [the lead pack] and I knew I had to stay on them. I did not want to be at the very front row, so I stayed just behind them and then started my kick the last half mile. I timed it the right way this year.”

Koskei officially timed in at 28 minutes, 11 seconds and reported no problems despite unusually hot, humid weather this close to the coast. The morning started with early morning fog and cool temperatures, but quickly turned sunny and searing.

Ndereba didn’t have trouble with the course or the conditions so much as her fitness.

“Nothing really gave me trouble on the course. When I finished my first mile, I got a feeling like I was not breathing right. I was like having some problems and when we pulled into the pack, I felt my quads get very heavy and I didn’t have my kick as usual so I just had to take it easy,” said Ndereba, who still owns the female course record of 31:34, set last year.

Fernandez actually enjoyed the heat. That was apparent as she set the pace early on and finished strong despite never having run the race before.

“There weren’t any trouble spots. I felt good from the beginning,” the 31-year-old Fernandez said through a Spanish-speaking interpreter. “I knew if I felt good in the beginning, I was going to go out and try to get ahead early. I felt fine and I didn’t have to change my plan, but I did have to push hard in the last half mile.”

Fernandez, who did not train or race from April of last year through February of this year to give birth to first child Daniel, has raced several times against Ndereba. Despite her status as an elite international runner, many race observers were calling her win an upset.

That’s not what she’d call it.

“I can see how it would be a surprise for other people because Catherine has won four times, but it wasn’t a surprise for me because I trained very had and prepared myself well,” Fernandez said.

Both female racers said they thoroughly enjoyed their time in Maine and plan to return to run the race again next year.

“I’ve been in other competitions here before in Maine, but never here,” Fernandez said. “The competition is very tough and the people are so animated and cheering along the way on the course. I am going to come back.”

Ndereba doesn’t have to be convinced. She was sold on the race five years ago … And she doesn’t even like lobster.

“No, unfortunately… I eat chicken,” she said with a laugh. “I think here in Maine, people are very nice and I like their hospitality. They are not like some other states. I have been travelling through quite a number of states and I can say the people here in Maine are very special.”

The top American finisher in the race was Tucson, Arizona’s Abdi Abdirahan, who broke away from the pack early and led by at least 50 meters or more for the first two miles.

His lack of familiarity with the course cost him though as he didn’t cut the corners as sharply as his pursuers and was overtaken at the midway point. Abdirahan finished seventh in 28:32.

“I don’t regret anything I did and I’m glad I did the start fast because on this course, you have to run sooner or later,” he explained. “I thought it was to my advantage to start fast because I think some of the guys dropped off the pace after three miles, but I wish I knew the course better. I ran through it once, but you don’t really know it that way.”

Milena Glusac of Fallbrook, Calif., was the top American woman with a fourth-place finish and a time of 32:39.

Although no records were broken in the men’s and women’s races, one did fall in the wheelchair race, won by Tony Nogueria of Glen Ridge, N.J.. for the third straight year and fourth time overall.

Despite feeling “tight” early on, Nogueria blazed through the course in 24 minutes, 12 seconds to better his old mark of 24:32 set in 1998.

“It was kind of surprising, you know? Maybe they got the wrong times,” he said with a chuckle. “I guess I was fast enough… I’ll take it.”