RK Note – This is the 1968 Bangor Labor Day Road Race. It was called the Bangor Five Mile Road Race Championship this particular year. Also interesting that Holland Street Hill was worked on since the previous race was held. This is the pre-race report.

Bangor’s Road Race Today at 2 O’clock

Bangor’s streets will not only be filled with departing tourists and returning natives today: there will be a parade of well conditioned athletes making the round by foot.

The sixth annual Bangor Five Mile Road Race will start at 2 o’clock in front of the Paul Bunyan statue on Main Street.

An undetermined filed will answer the starter’s gun in the event for post entries are being accepted. A year ago 44 runners were on hand.

The race, co-sponsored by the Bangor Recreation Department and Bangor Chamber of Commerce offers five trophies of the AAU sanctioned tour as well as three special awards. These will go to the first Bangor resident, the first high school runner and the first over 40 years of age.

Hillgrove Defends

The holiday event that attracts good crowds along the route as well as the finish line at Bass Park’s grandstand will find defending champion and record-holder Bob Hillgrove of Rockland on tap to try again. Two years ago he set the record of 26.57.4

Entered today are Fred Judkins, former University of Maine standout now living in Old Town, and Roland Dyer of Bath who has competed in three Boston Marathons. The field takes on an international flavor with the entrance of Daniel Simmons of Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Among other entries are Don Gallant, Brewer; Richard Rawley, Wayne; Lawrence Godable, Bangor; Roland Booker, Bangor and Edward Bean, Old Town.

There is no entrance fee for the race, open to all amateurs over 16, but competitors must be registered with the AAU. They must report at the Bangor auditorium no later than 1:30.

The line of the race is along Main Street to Railroad to Summer and Washington Streets, up Exchange and Harlow to Valley Avenue, up Holland Street’s grueling hill to Wiley and Union Streets, along West Broadway to Buck and back to Main Street, up Dutton to the Bass Park oval for one lap, ending in front of the grandstand.

Trophies will be awarded at the close of the race.

Race Director George Searway expects a number of post entries today with the race attracting state-wide attention.

Numbers will be assigned and route directions given at the auditorium prior to the race. High school runners must have coaches’ written permission.

Officials include Milford Cohen, Edmund Styrna, Jim O’Connor, Sgt. Neal Ryder, Lewis Kotredes, Norbert Dowd, Dale Theriault and Owen Osborne in addition to Searway.

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RK Note – This is the 1968 Bangor Labor Day Road Race. This is the post-race report.

Hillgrove Defends Title in Bangor Road Race
By Owen Osborne (Bangor Daily News)

Making his break with easy stride on Valley Avenue, Bob Hillgrove of Rockland successfully defended his Bangor Five Mile Road Race championship and set a new record for the course Monday.

He hit the tape in 26:44.3 to better the course mark of 26:57.4 he set two years ago, beating out his nearest competitor by a comfortable 500 yards in 80 degree temperature for the sixth annual event.

Placing second was Dave Farley, former Brewer high school and Brown University distance man who only Sunday received his discharge from the Marines.

A field of 34 started and 29 of them finished.

Third was Fred Judkins of Old Town and fourth was Ralph Grant of Waterville followed by Walter Renaud, unattached; Ken Flanders of Portland, a Deering student and first high school entry to finish; John Dahl of Old Town; Lawrence Doble of Bangor; and Robert Delambily, on of eight Maine Maritime Academy runners entered.

Dr. Boucard Nesin of Howard, 46 finished 29th and was the first – and only – entrant over 40 to finish.

Dahl took the early lead along Main Street and held it going onto Railroad Street with Hillgrove and Steve Turner close behind, Farley was fourth.

Turning onto Exchange Street Hillgrove was a couple of paces ahead and he stretched the margin to 25 feet moving to Harlow Street. His smooth stride along Valley Avenue gained him a lead of 100 feet and at the top of Holland Street Hill, now altered by construction, it was 100 yards.

By this time Farley, who said he hadn’t raced for over three months, had taken second place. West Broadway found Hillgrove picking up the pace and by the time he reached Buck Street he led by 300 yards. Sensing a record he romped down Buck Street, up along Main and Dutton to Bass Park’s oval where he held close to a quarter of a mile margin, then sprinted the final 100 yards.

Medals went to finishers, sixth through 14th. Trophies were awarded to the first five to finish, the first Bangor resident, first high school entry, and first over 40 years old.

Following Hillgrove and Farley to the wire were:

Bob Hillgrove, Rockland 26:44.3
Dave Farley, Brewer
Fred Judkins, Old Town
Ralph Grant, Waterville AC
Walter Renaud, unattached
Ken Flanders, Portland
John Dahl, Old Town
Lawrence Doble, Bangor
Robert Delambily, Maine Maritime Academy
Rick Rowley, Wayne
Daniel Boneson, unattached
Albert McCann, Portland
Roland Booker, Bangor
Paul Hatfield, Maine Maritime Academy
Roland Dyer, Waterville AC
Dennis Randall, Higgins, CT
Pat White, unattached
Steve Turner, U of Maine
Louis Norman, Maine Maritime Academy
Daniel Timmons, Sherbrooke, Quebec
Clayton Nowell, Maine Maritime Academy
Dennis Webb, Maine Maritime Academy
Joseph Grant, Maine Maritime Academy
John Vazmann, Maine Maritime Academy
Ismael Shekem, Maine Maritime Academy
John Farley, Brewer
Ralph Dyer, Waterville AC
Edward Bean, unattached
Dr. Boucard Nesin, Howland

Hillgrove said he though the change in Holland Street could have helped his time but Farley, who had won the event in the past, felt it made very little difference. The steep slope of the past had been graduated but distance may have been added.

Dr. Nesin said he had never competed in distance events in college but in recent years had been pacing two or five miles as a hobby and for conditioning.

The race was co-sponsored by the Bangor Recreation Department and Bangor Chamber of Commerce, Presentation of awards was by George Searway of the Recreation Department.