Tradition, a scenic and challenging course, and a good postrace meal will be featured once again when the 18th Tour du Lac 10-Miler is held in Bucksport Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

The race, the third event in the Bangor Daily News Charities Running Series, has attracted fields of nearly 100 for the past two years with about 50 runners 40 years and over.

“The vets return each year. They like to do the course and use it as a measure of what kind of shape they are in,” said Joan Merriam, who directs the race with her husband, Fred.

Runners like the competitive atmosphere the race offers, but also enjoy its social aspect.

“It’s kind of a low-key event. People love to come because Leona and Charlie Clapper always put on a big lasagna dinner afterwards at their house,” Merriam said.

The race field has increased by about 12 runners in the last three years since it became a BDN series race, Merriam added.

“People like to come out for the first long race of the series,” she said.

The race starts and finishes at Bucksport High School, while the course loops around scenic Silver Lake. There are several uphill stretches as well as equally challenging downhills. It can be a draining event for a runner and personal records are usually not set.

The men’s and women’s fields should be wide open as defending champs Tim Wakeland of East Holden and Jo-Ann Nealey of Northport will not be competing.

Wakeland is working his way into top running condition while Nealey has a busy family weekend planned.

Wakeland won last year’s race with a time of 53 minutes, 12 seconds, while Nealey won the women’s division with a 1:02.44 clocking. Bucksport native Gerry Clapper set the men’s record in 1986 with a 50:48 time while Deb Potter of Nobleboro established the women’s mark in ’89 with a 1:01.03 finish.

The race started as a 10-mile cycling event in 1976 by Anne Norton who was teaching French at Bucksport High in ’76. Many of her students were interested in the historic Tour du France cycling race.

Two cycling races were held, but Norton and her husband, Steve, changed it to a road race in ’78 to meet the demands of the running boom that was then taking place.

The Nortons directed the race until 1986 when it came under the organization of the Central Maine Striders Running Club and its Bucksport members, the Merriams.

Race-day registration starts at 7:15 a.m. and the entry fee is $5.

It’s a busy weekend for runners. Besides the Tour du Lac, some of the races scheduled on Saturday are: the 15th Gardiner Common 5-Miler, 8 a.m.; the Nubble Light 10K, 9 a.m., York; and the Southwest Harbor Quiet Side 10K, 8 a.m. Also, on Sunday: the Ironworks 5K Road Race, 10 a.m., Pembroke; and the National Starch & Chemical Company 5K, 10 a.m., Island Falls.

Bob Everett of Fort Fairfield and Angie Edgecomb of Caribou are the respective men’s and women’s overall leaders after three races in the County Challenge Running Series. Everett, a five-time Challenge champ, has totaled 24 points while ’92 winner Edgecomb

Four races remain in the series with the Almost 5 on the 4th (an 8K race) scheduled next on July 4th in Houlton at 9 a.m.

The leaders in the series are listed below.

County Challenge Series Leaders

Walkers: Bernadette Arpin 33, Mary Ferland 9 Men’s Standings

Overall: Everett 24, Rusty Taylor 15, Derek Fisher 13, Gilles Gautreau 11, tie-Hal Stewart and Jamie Good 9; 14 and under: Derrick Donovan 33, Bobby Wright 28, Shane Lee 9, tie-Jason Murphy and Jeffrey Alden 8; 15-18: Jamie Good 22, Peter Emerson 11, Alfred Hanscom 9, tie-Nicholas Howe and Jeremy Guerette 8; 19-29: Yves Gagnon 22, Terry Hartford 21, Ken Cushman 14, Rick Quesnel, 11 tie-Jack Gallagher and Ken Ondeiki 9

30-39: Everett 27, Derek Fisher 16, Hal Stewart 15, Paul Lamoreau 12, tie-Mike Mendonca and Patrick Lee 9; 40-49: Rusty Taylor 29, tie-Dennis Arpin and Raymond Gallant 19, Bob Duprey 12, tie-Larry Tonzi and Wayne Stewart 11; 50-59: Conrad Walton 29, Erv MacDonald 26, Fred Putnam 14, Gene Ross 13, Bion McFadden 11, Joe Beasley 10, Clint Cushman 9; 60 and over: Lefty Johnson 22, Art Young 11 Women’s Standings

Overall: Edgecomb 19, Connie Mendonca 16, tie-Danielle Donovan and Eunice Phillips 11, Darcie McElwee 10, Gladys Ganiel 9; 14 and under: Cheryl Arpin 29, tie-Morgen Buehner and Danielle Donovan 11; 15-18: Gladys Ganiel 11, Eleanore Anderson 9; 19-29: Edgecomb 28, Darcie McElwee 17, Christine Renchko 11, Tina Michaud 9, Ann Cannizzaro 8

30-39: Brenda Bailey 26, tie-Bonnie Cyr, Gail Vorbach, and Sheila Hodges 11; Lyn Young 9, Linda Sakaquch 7; 40-49: Connie Mendonca 20, Carol McElwee 19, Nancy Smith 13, Eunice Phillips 11, Carol Scott 7