What a difference a day (or two) makes. Sue Faber of Oxford capped her "aging up" birthday weekend with a fine fourth place masters finish on the Cape at the Falmouth Road Race. Her time of 40 min. 29 sec. for the 7.1 mile run was just 7 ticks behind the legendary Joan Samuelson in third.

Her Saturday (8/10) birthday celebration started along with her husband and two sons in Fenway Park watching Pedro Martinez shut out the Twins. On Sunday she placed the New England masters competition on alert in her first foray into the division. "Good timing" the humble and gracious Faber said at race headquarters on Monday.

"I didn't know how well I'd do after sitting in the sun all day Saturday and then driving down that night" she added. Her $500 winnings were a nice bonus present and will come in handy as she and Robert take their first vacation (since their boys were born) at the end of the month.

In typical race fashion Faber (who was also the 1st CT finisher overall) came from off the pace passing people and tracking down Samuelson. "She really knows how to run a race" said third place CT finisher Steve Virgadaula just before the race start. His pre-race strategy was to run with Faber as long as possible.

As is normal for this race the conditions were hot and humid at the start from the narrow metal bridge in Woods Hole. Over 9000 were registered for the scenic run to Falmouth Heights along some of this country's most spectacular coastline. And as usual tens of thousands of spectators and volunteers lined nearly every part of the course to shout encouragement, hand out fluids, and party through the afternoon.

"I did better then I thought" Faberr exclaimed with a smile as she waited in race headquarters Monday afternoon. She expects to run a short race in late August. On Labor Day when she will run her first CT-USATF championship as a master for the Hi-Tek Racing team at the New Haven 20K.

There the state's masters will face the reality of what the open division has known for 20 years - prepare to get passed. And watch for the same, consistent domination for about 10 years by the smiling, friendly, Faber.
-Malevolent Marty Schaivone