ANDOVER — Nina Caron thought it was finally about to happen. After several second-place finishes over the last decade, she was going to win her first Feaster Five Road Race.
The 49-year-old Andover mother of four has a history of winning. She won the 2004 Cape Cod Marathon. She was the New England Grand Prix 40-and-over champion in 2003 and 2004. She's qualified for the Olympic Trials. And she's won races in almost every New England state.
But she never won this one, in her hometown of Andover.
Caron was less than a half-mile from the finish line of the five-mile course when she knew somebody was closing in on her.
That somebody was road racing legend Joan Benoit Samuelson.
"I can sense a woman's stride when it's coming behind me," said Caron. "And then I started hearing, 'Go Joan! Go Joan!' She kicked right by me before we got to (York Street). I tried to catch her. But I couldn't."
A whopping 9,147 runners competed in the 5-mile, 5K and Kids K events. The event is sponsored by The Eagle-Tribune and hosted by the Merrimack Valley Striders.
Yesterday's race was a lot like last year's.
"The same thing happened last year," recalled Caron. "I was leading for most of the race, doing well, thinking it was my year, and then got passed (by Kim Webster)."
After the race, Benoit Samuelson, who finished in 30:13, two seconds ahead of Caron, sought out the runner-up to congratulate her. She asked Caron how old she was. When Caron told her "49," Benoit Samuelson was in awe.
"You are unbelievable," Benoit Samuelson said to Caron. "You look incredible."
Caron informed the two-time Boston Marathon and 1984 Olympic Marathon champ that she had never won the Feaster Five before.
"I wish I knew," said Benoit Samuelson. "I would have pulled back. I wish I knew. My goal was 30 minutes and I just missed that. I wish you won."
Caron hardly sounded disappointed.
"To be second to Joan Benoit is the best second-place finish I could ever ask for," said Caron. "Maybe my year will be next year."
Maybe she'll wear a message on the back of her running jersey: "Joan, remember I've never won the Feaster Five."
"Maybe I'll do that," said Caron. "At least I'm laughing about it."
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