BUCKSPORT – Judson Cake, Evan Graves, and Cassie Hintz had just one word to describe the weather conditions for Saturday’s Tour du Lac 10-miler.

“Perfect.”

Hintz, who will be a junior at Old Town High School this fall, toured the course around Silver Lake in 1 hour, 2 minutes, 31 seconds, about four minutes ahead of the next female finisher, Kathleen Bell of Orono (1:06:37), on a cool, drizzly morning.

“It’s always hot, and this year it was perfect,” Hintz said.

Cake and Graves, who both reside in Bar Harbor, drafted off each other over the first eight miles before Cake outkicked his good friend to win in 52:37, with Graves right behind in 52:38. Mike Bunker of Bucksport followed in third (54:34), Claton Conrad of North Yarmouth was fourth (58:30), and Dedham’s Tim Wakeland fifth (59:38).

Hintz is coming off an impressive spring track and field season during which she set a state record in the 3,200-meter run, and with the shape she’s in, she has no intention of slowing down.

“I think I was getting tired toward the end of the [track] season, but now I feel better,” she said.

Most runners like to use this race as a good long training run, or to run for fun, too.

“I like to run for fun and not push it,” Hintz added.

Behind Hintz and Bell, Angela Ewings of Littleton was third in 1:12:50, Lara Rand of Orrington fourth in 1:13:05, and Margaret Jones of Bucksport fifth in 1:15:01. Recent Hampden Academy graduate and Bates College-bound Molly Balentine placed sixth at 1:16:27.

In the men’s race, Graves and Cake, both of whom train with Crow Athletics on Mount Desert Island, ran a virtually perfect race.

“It definitely helped having Evan with me,” said Cake, who ran the race for the second time in his career.

“We always train together, do long runs and workouts whenever we can,” added Graves, who was running the race for the first time.

The two averaged around a 5:10 mile over a challenging course, but they had something else on their minds besides competing.

“This was extra special for Fred [Merriam], just for what he’s done for the running community throughout Maine,” Graves said.

Merriam is suffering from cancer and did not attend the race. He is well-known and respected in the eastern Maine running community for his participation as a runner and supporter of local road races, Graves explained.

Merriam and his wife Joan have been race directors of the Tour du Lac.

Approximately 91 runners finished the race, as did a couple of area running coaches. Hampden’s Dick Balentine toured the 10-mile loop in 1:08:39, and Brewer’s Glendon Rand, who ran and finished with wife Lara, completed the course in 1:13:05.