There will be no defending race winners for the 1993 edition of the Bangor Labor Day 5-Mile Road Race.

Two things will be keeping reigning men’s champion Chuck Morris of Brewer from defending last year’s win in Monday’s race while an injury is going to cause Paula Emery of Atkinson, last year’s women’s winner, to sit out the 31st running of the race.

Those who will run will gather at the Bass Park grandstand for the 9 a.m. start on Monday. The course then winds through the west side of Bangor before finishing back at Bass Park.

Morris, who won last year’s race with a time of 26 minutes, 12 seconds, will miss this year’s event, first, because he is training for a 50-mile ultramarathon, to be held in Brunswick in October. And secondly, Morris is concerned about the safety of the runners at some of the intersections.

“The race needs more volunteer support to guarantee the safety of the runners,” Morris said. “Coming up the (14th Street Extension) hill and crossing Ohio Street, there hasn’t been any volunteers there. Runners have had to fend for themselves. It’s dangerous.”

Race director Craig Orff realizes the problem, but said the Bangor Parks and Recreation Department can do little without the volunteers.

“It is a concern,” Orff said, who added that runners are cautioned about the lack of the safety volunteers before the race. “That’s all we can do without the volunteers.”