Former Michigander Cindy Barber Keeler (132) won the women's Milford Labor Day 30K. Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios.

MILFORD (8/31) - They don't call them masters for nothing. Runners over 40 led the way in the second annual Milford Labor Day 30K. The race drew 162 entries, triple the turnout for its first year.

Forty-year-old Tom Yates of New Boston won the men's competition, with Kris Warszawski, 43, of Northville, runnerup. Further, Cindy Barber Keeler, 44, of Clermont, Fla., captured the women's race and Laurie Decker, 42, of Cadillac, finished second.

Ex-Michiganian Keeler finished the 18.6-mile race in 2:04:25, then kept running for another two or three miles. "The course was demanding with plenty of hills," she said. "But I'm working toward a fall marathon and wanted to get in at least 20 miles today."

Decker called it a day after crossing in 2:09:25. "That's the longest race I've ever run," she said.

This 30K, part of the Michigan Runner Race Series, used about every dirt road and steep hill in greater Milford, plus a few from the Highland Recreation Area north of town. None of which fazed third-place woman Jennifer Schaffner, who clocked a 2:17:10.

"I'm from Golden, Colo.," Schaffner said, "so I'm used to hills." Fourth- through sixth-place women were Michelle Groechel (2:24:14), Colleen Doyle (2:28:05) and Chery Fairbrother (2:29:33).

For the men, Ian Bedford, 24, of Livonia, jumped out to a first-mile lead, which he held until last year's winner, Matt Nestor, 19, of Hartland, caught him at six miles. Yates and Warszawski passed both in the seventh mile.

The two veterans shared the lead till about 12 miles. "I pulled away a little bit and built on that lead," said Yates, who finished in 1:51:47 to Warszawski's 1:52:03. Next came fellow masters Dave Furey (1:56:48) and Gary Wolfram (1:58:06), followed by Nestor (1:58:23) and Bedford (2:02:23). Nestor's fifth-place effort was six minutes faster than his winning time last year.

Race proceeds went to Down's syndrome awareness. For complete results, go to www.laborday30k.com.