There won’t be any mad dogs, but there may be a few Englishmen running about in the Greater Bangor noonday sun on Sunday.

Four hundred and seven runners will have a chance to disprove that time-worn phrase about the only living things crazy enough to brave the heat during the first running of the resurrected Paul Bunyan Marathon over highways and byways in Bangor, Orono and Veazie Sunday morning and early afternoon.

Although most will finish the 26.2-mile marathon and the accompanying 15-kilometer race before noon, there should be plenty of sun and there will at least be several Canadians running in it.

“We have runners from 39 states and five Canadian provinces running,” said race director Phil LeBreton of Brewer. “But the majority of the runners signed up are from southern states.”

Those southerners should benefit as scalding temperatures are expected for Sunday’s running of the Bunyan, an annual event from 1975 to 1984.

“I have one guy who’s hoping for triple-digit temperatures,” LeBreton said with a laugh. “It’s a different type of heat up here compared to the heat most of these marathoners are used to and about 95 percent of the field is fairly experienced and used to all kinds of conditions.”

That likely applies to the 14 runners from California and pair from Hawaii, but those from Alaska and some of the Canadian provinces might be a bit out of their elements.

Organizers are taking that into consideration and supplementing the 13 water stations along the race routes with several Ultima sports drink (located at every even-numbered mile station) and four ice stations. They also will be on the lookout for flagging runners who appear to be in physical distress. Those runners will be given belts with several water bottles on them.

“We have added ice stops and doubled up the Ultima replenisher after buying all the five-gallon drums they had at Wal-Mart, and we’re still adding volunteers for water stops,” said LeBreton, who will have at least three volunteers manning each station. “There shouldn’t be any mad dashes for one cup of water at various stops.”

The mad dash at the starting line begins at 6 a.m. on the corner of Buck and Main Street in Bangor. It should end up with the last of the field crossing the finish line at Cameron Stadium, between Mount Hope Avenue and Garland Street, between noon and 1 p.m.

Playing in traffic

LeBreton expects runners and motorists to peacefully coexist along the course despite the fact that none of the roads along the route will be closed. Bangor police officers will provide traffic details at the intersections of Hogan Road and State Street as well as Stillwater Avenue and Essex Street.

Orono’s police department will have its usual complement on duty.

“We are not putting anyone extra on. I understand there are quite a few volunteers involved, but I think this is going to be a learning experience for us all,” said Orono police Sgt. Josh Ewing. “We’re hoping for no issues because of the reduced traffic this time of the year. It’s more or less like a ghost town with no students here, especially on a Sunday, so we’re not blocking off any roads.”

Neither is Bangor, but that doesn’t mean Bangor officers are expecting happy trails.

“My guess is it’s going to be a traffic snafu,” said Bangor police Lt. Jeff Blood. “Especially on Hogan Road on Sunday it’ll be a pain in the butt as far as traffic because the runners aren’t going to stop and drivers just have to be patient. It comes down to patience and courtesy.

“If they’ve done their homework with barricades and cones and having the course mapped out well, it should go much smoother.”

Dirigo Search and Rescue will provide first aid and traffic control/course management with 12 members, including two emergency medical technicians (EMTs). They will be supplemented by 40 volunteers, most of whom will be manning the water stations.

“There’s a running lane already there on College Avenue and part of Route 2 and we’ll have cones and big arrows painted on the streets at other parts of the course to designate lanes directions,” LeBreton said. “Some of the roads are very runner-friendly. Traffic flow would be a much bigger issue if we ran this on any of the original course streets they used 20 years ago like Stillwater Avenue or Hogan Road.”

Organizers will also employ a pace car at the front of the race, two “float cars” that will move along various parts of the racing horde, and a sweep car at the end.

LeBreton says the 6 a.m. start is much more conducive to traffic concerns.

“It’s much better than the old 10:45 start and the majority of the runners should be done by 9:30 or 10 a.m., so that should miss some of the church traffic,” he said.

Faces in the crowd

The race will feature many experienced runners… VERY experienced.

One member of Marathon Maniacs, one of two running clubs incorporating their “summer reunion” events into this marathon (the other is The 50-State Club) has run 385 marathons in her lifetime.

Think that’s impressive? Dane Rauschenberg of Washington, D.C., will be running in his 28th marathon this year. He’s run an average of one per week over the last seven months.

Chuck Engles is the lone professional runner in the field. He has won 15 of the 28 marathons he’s run this year.

“The fact that my parents have always told me how beautiful Maine is and how gorgeous Bangor is really made me want to come here for this,” said the 35-year-old Engles. “Plus I’m looking forward to having some Maine lobster.”

Engles says running a marathon a week isn’t as punishing as many might think, as long as runners use common sense and a fairly rigid eating/sleeping/training regimen.

“The recovery is the big thing, said Engles, who has a master’s degree in biology and chemistry. “Most people think it starts the day after the race, but it really starts three or four days before.”

Local names to keep an eye on are former Old Town High school star distance runner Cassie Hintz and longtime road racer Andy Beardsley of Ellsworth, who will both be running the Paul Bunyan 15K.

There will also be four wheelchair marathoners at the head of the pack.