By Steve Sherlock,Sports Editor

CAPE ELIZABETH – Veteran Kenyan runner Thomas Nyariki, a 1996 Olympian, knew it was time to change race tactics. His survival depended on it.

With two-time defending champion Gilbert Okari and half-marathon specialist Wilson Kiprotich locked on a suicidal pace Saturday in the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K, Nyariki allowed his two compatriots to break away.

“I was camped behind them. After three miles the pace was … a little high,” Nyariki said, shaking his head as he searched for the right words. “I had to pull back.”

As Nyariki gathered himself, Okari and Kiprotich continued their torrid pace, each attempting to break the other. The tempo eventually slowed above record pace, but the duo entered Fort Williams Park stride for stride.

Okari, better at shorter distances than his rival, finally broke away from Kiprotich on the final downhill stretch 200 yards from the finish to capture his third consecutive Beach to Beacon victory.

His winning time of 27 minutes, 38 seconds, was six seconds quicker than runner-up Kiprotich, but nine seconds off his course record set in 2003.

“I was looking forward to breaking the course record,” Okari said. “Maybe I come back next year a little fresher and break it then.”

Nyariki, 34, still recovering from a carjacking two years ago that cost him his sight in one eye, pulled away from the rest of the challengers during the fourth mile to finish third. Road racing legend John Korir and 2002 champion James Koskei rounded out the top five.

Lornah Kipligat of Holland continued her road dominance with an easy victory in the women’s race. Opening up a 150-yard lead within the first two miles, Kipligat coasted to the finish in 31:34, missing the course record by one second.

“I was slower the last part,” Kipligat said. “For me, the win is very important. Records can be broken every year. The win stays forever.”

Kipligat has won all nine of her road races in the United States this year.

Russia’s Alevetina Ivanova improved her 2004 finish by one spot, to place second in 31:56.

Stanford-bound Eric Giddings, 18, of South Portland smashed the record for Maine runners, with a clocking of 30:34, 18 seconds faster than Bob Winn’s standard set in the Beach to Beacon’s inaugural race in 1998.

Emily Levan of Wiscasset tuned up for next weekend’s women’s marathon race at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, to finish first among Maine women runners. Her time of 35:52 was nearly two minutes faster than last year’s champ Susannah Beck.

Near perfect conditions greeted runners for the eighth annual race.

“It was a beautiful day to race,” said Levan. “Not too hot. Not too humid. You can’t ask for much more, especially considering (Friday’s) weather.”

Starting with the wind at their backs and a downhill opening mile, the lead pack covered the first mile in a blistering 4:09. After a more honest second mile, the leaders turned it up another notch, running the third mile in 4:18, en route to a brisk 13:37 at the halfway mark.

By this point, Nyariki had already dropped off the pace, leaving it a two-man race. Despite the quick splits, Okari wanted more.

“I wanted to push to make time faster, because the moment we land together, it makes it slow,” Okari said. “I wanted to push us both harder. I wanted to make (the pace) faster than it was.”

Kiprotich’s strategy was similar. Fourth a year ago and having already run the half-marathon this year in less than one hour, he pushed back whenever Okari put on a surge. The pair answered each other’s challenge until Okari finally broke free at the end.

Okari and Kipligat were each awarded $10,000 for winning the race. The total purse was $60,000, which included cash prizes for the top 10 and for the top five Maine runners, except those still in high school.

Race officials said 4,306 runners finished the 6.2-mile event.