Larry Greer Wins Annual 5 Mile Race

RK Notes – 1972 Bangor Five Mile Race. Bangor Daily News, September 6, 1972. By Roger Hunton. Some finisher names should be a bit more familiar!

Never running any farther back than sixth place from the starting gun, Larry Greer of Cape Elizabeth ran in fourth or fifth position in the first two miles before making his move and outdistancing the field to win the 10th Annual Five Mile Road Race sponsored by the Bangor Parks and Recreation Department Monday. He finished off the record pace of 25:43 but wound up with a respectable 26:33.

Second place finisher, 15 seconds behind Greer was Ken Flanders of Portland with Neill Miner of Mansell taking third.

The race was unique in one respect, Robin Voelker of Ellsworth finished 24th in 33:21 and was the first woman competitor in the race’s history.

The runners started jockeying for positions when they reached Railroad Street. At that point Bob Hillgrove was the race leader and maintained the edge until they reached the bridge on Valley Avenue.

Ken Flanders, who until that point had been a very close second took over the lad with Neill Miner second, Hillgrove third, Greer a steady fourth, Ralph Thomas fifth and William Sheehan sixth.

The same six runners continued their battle for the lead down Valley Avenue and up onto Holland Street. When the race turned to Holland Street, Greer, Flanders and Miner were running side-by-side up the hill.

The three remained only feet apart as the race continued down Wiley Street to Union. However, by this time they were beginning to pull away from the fourth, fifth and sixth place runners and had opened up about a 50 yard lead.

Thomas, Sheehan, Jeff Sanborn, Paul Gleason and Hillgrove were vainly trying to stay within striking distance but were quickly fading.

As they hit West Broadway and entered the final half of the jaunt, Greer began to pull away. As they reached the intersection of Buck Street he had about 15 yards on Flanders and about 30 yards on Miner. He continued his blistering pace down Buck Street onto Main for the final leg of the journey and by the time he reached the race track at Bass Park he had a commanding 25 yard lead. This he stretched out at the finished.

The race’s oldest competitor, 65 year old Cody Jordan of Hampden, would not give up. Although far behind the others, he managed to finish in 1 hour, 36 minutes, 21 seconds. He proved himself capable enough for his age as tow much younger runners were forced to withdraw during the final leg of the race.

The final order of finish

1. Larry Greer, Cape Elizabeth 26:33
2. Ken Flanders, Portland
3. Neill Miner, Mansell
4. Ralph Thomas, Gardiner
5. Jeff Sanborn, Augusta
6. Peter Gleason, Augusta
7. William Sheehan, Peabody, Mass.
8. Bob Hillgrove, Rockland
9. Stephen Whalen, Danvers, Mass.
10. Don Bondeson, New Sweden
11. Mark Beede, Gorham
12. William Talbot, Machias
13. Jeff Umphrey, Augusta
14. Don Paul, Portland
15. Frank Roberts, Old Town
16. Will Lund, Augusta
17. Norm Cormier, Rumford
18. Edward McFarland, Bar Harbor
19. Michael Cram, Liberty
20. Eldon Collins, Portland
21. Brian Manza, Woodland
22. Eddie Dempsey, East Millinocket
23. Phil Harmon, Bar Mills
24. Robin Voelker, Ellsworth
25. Jon Cox, Morrill
26. Randy Ossinger, Grand Manaan, New Brunswick
27. Douglas Graves. Mount Desert
28. Louis Tomak, Perry
29. Curt Hirsh, Orono
30. Tim Frankland, Bangor
31. Robert Lewey, Charleston
32. Ronald Gervais, Westbrook
33. Howard Richard, Mount Desert
34. Lawrence Allen, Cranberry Island
35. Ted Duffy, Brewer
36. Raymond Blaisdell, East Millinocket
37. Randy Littlefield, bangor
38. Peter Kenney, East Holden
39. Tim McCluskey, Bangor
40. Ted Littlefield, Hampden
41. Paul Jordan, San Beradino, California
42. Harry Trask, Dixfield
43. Robert Hinnicksen, Brewer
44. Cody Jordan, Hampden.