MONROE - Holly Nearman's morning on race day for the Cheese Days Chase started the way all of her other races do - with toast covered with peanut butter and honey and a banana for breakfast.
Nearman, a 2004 Monroe High School graduate, won the women's Cheese Days Chase 5K for the second straight time Saturday with a time of 18 minutes, 10.3 seconds. She won the 5K in 2014 and was the women's champion in the Cheese Days Chase 10K in 2010 and 2012. She was first scheduled to run the 10K, but switched to the 5K because she was running in the Whitewater Marathon on Sunday.
"It's always great to run in your hometown," Nearman said. "It's always exciting and motivates you more. I think I went too hard. I definitely wanted to win it. You never know who is behind you and coming. I need to rest my legs now. I want to eat cheese curds and drink beer."
Nearman, 30, now lives in Milwaukee. She went to state twice in the 3,200-meter run as a member of the Monroe girls track team and she also ran on the 3,200 relay team at state. She has had a strong year of running in 5K, 10K road races and marathons. She won the Rockford Marathon in May and the United Run for the Zoo 10K in Chicago earlier this year.
"That was a big race for me," Nearman said of the Lincoln Park Zoo race where she claimed the title. "That was one of the highlights."
Nearman also finished 36th in the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota in June.
Nearman graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a journalism and sociology major. She now is a department coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, a women's health care facility with 20 clinics across the state.
"It feels good working for a non-profit," she said.
Her running partner in a club in Milwaukee, Browntown native and Monroe alumnus Thomas Wells, 28, was the top overall finisher in the 5K with a time of 16:05.6. Tyler Schmidt, 27, of Monroe, finished second (17:30.3) and Brodhead's Ben Mcelmurry took third (17:36.8). Wells, a 2006 Monroe High School graduate, has been running competitively for several years and will run in the Quad Cities Marathon on Sunday. Wells also competed on the UW-Milwaukee track and cross country teams.
"This was a tune-up for that," Wells said of running the 5K in the Cheese Days Chase. "It was nice to go out there and run pretty fast. I wanted to run a good time and win. It's a pretty flat course after the hill in the beginning."
It's the third Cheese Days Chase race he has won since 2006. Wells was a biology major, who is now working as a professional tutor. He started his own private tutoring company and is tutoring college and high school students. He also serves as a volunteer reading and math tutor for southeast Asian students in Milwaukee.
"I've been tutoring since high school," he said. "I never thought I could make it a full-time job. My private tutoring three or four years ago just took off. I never thought I could do it for a real job."
Steve Olson, 34, of Davis, Illinois, won the men's 30-39 age group with a time of 18:58.3. Janesville's Adrian Farris claimed the top spot in the 40-49 age group (18:23.3). Dan Doden, 55, of Monroe won the 50-59 age group (19:32.5). Bill Derocher of Deerfield, Illinois, won the 60-69 age group (22:32.2). Tyger Johnson of Dakota, Illinois, took the top spot in the men's 70 and older division (23:39.6).
Heath Huschitt, 13, of Monroe, won the 13-19 year-old 5K (20:11.5). Garrett Voegeli, 13, of Browntown, took second (20:18.4).
In the other women's races, Waunakee's Anna Vanderhoef, 11, won the 5K (23:17). Monroe's Emma Wild won the 12 and younger division (25:21.5). Brodhead's Bryanna Bauman, 28, won the championship in the 20-29 age group (22:45.4). Kathleen Lupont, of Rockford, won the 40-49 age group (22:23.5). In the 50-59 age group, Monroe's Tina Buvid claimed the title (23:29.1). Barb Arnett, 60, of Merill won the 60-69 age group (25:50.1). Monroe's Nancy Hawkinson won the 70 and older division (37:14.8).
In the 10K, Darlington's Allyson Meyers, 12, finished first in the 12 and younger division (48:45.1). Gurnee's Nathan Klimt, 13, finished first (45:19.4). Monroe native Patrick Klein, of Prairie du Chien took first in the 20-29 division (33:11.3). Madison's Rodee Schneider finished first in the 30-39 age group (35:07.9). Brian Bottcher, 43, of Caledonia, Illinois, was the top finisher in the 40-49 age group (41:28.7). In the 50-59 age group, Mike Martin of Wayne claimed the top spot (34:49.3). Scott Vinall, 63, won the 60-69 age group (46:07.7). In the 70 and older division, Monticello's Michael Gengler won (52:50.8).
Nearman, a 2004 Monroe High School graduate, won the women's Cheese Days Chase 5K for the second straight time Saturday with a time of 18 minutes, 10.3 seconds. She won the 5K in 2014 and was the women's champion in the Cheese Days Chase 10K in 2010 and 2012. She was first scheduled to run the 10K, but switched to the 5K because she was running in the Whitewater Marathon on Sunday.
"It's always great to run in your hometown," Nearman said. "It's always exciting and motivates you more. I think I went too hard. I definitely wanted to win it. You never know who is behind you and coming. I need to rest my legs now. I want to eat cheese curds and drink beer."
Nearman, 30, now lives in Milwaukee. She went to state twice in the 3,200-meter run as a member of the Monroe girls track team and she also ran on the 3,200 relay team at state. She has had a strong year of running in 5K, 10K road races and marathons. She won the Rockford Marathon in May and the United Run for the Zoo 10K in Chicago earlier this year.
"That was a big race for me," Nearman said of the Lincoln Park Zoo race where she claimed the title. "That was one of the highlights."
Nearman also finished 36th in the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota in June.
Nearman graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a journalism and sociology major. She now is a department coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, a women's health care facility with 20 clinics across the state.
"It feels good working for a non-profit," she said.
Her running partner in a club in Milwaukee, Browntown native and Monroe alumnus Thomas Wells, 28, was the top overall finisher in the 5K with a time of 16:05.6. Tyler Schmidt, 27, of Monroe, finished second (17:30.3) and Brodhead's Ben Mcelmurry took third (17:36.8). Wells, a 2006 Monroe High School graduate, has been running competitively for several years and will run in the Quad Cities Marathon on Sunday. Wells also competed on the UW-Milwaukee track and cross country teams.
"This was a tune-up for that," Wells said of running the 5K in the Cheese Days Chase. "It was nice to go out there and run pretty fast. I wanted to run a good time and win. It's a pretty flat course after the hill in the beginning."
It's the third Cheese Days Chase race he has won since 2006. Wells was a biology major, who is now working as a professional tutor. He started his own private tutoring company and is tutoring college and high school students. He also serves as a volunteer reading and math tutor for southeast Asian students in Milwaukee.
"I've been tutoring since high school," he said. "I never thought I could make it a full-time job. My private tutoring three or four years ago just took off. I never thought I could do it for a real job."
Steve Olson, 34, of Davis, Illinois, won the men's 30-39 age group with a time of 18:58.3. Janesville's Adrian Farris claimed the top spot in the 40-49 age group (18:23.3). Dan Doden, 55, of Monroe won the 50-59 age group (19:32.5). Bill Derocher of Deerfield, Illinois, won the 60-69 age group (22:32.2). Tyger Johnson of Dakota, Illinois, took the top spot in the men's 70 and older division (23:39.6).
Heath Huschitt, 13, of Monroe, won the 13-19 year-old 5K (20:11.5). Garrett Voegeli, 13, of Browntown, took second (20:18.4).
In the other women's races, Waunakee's Anna Vanderhoef, 11, won the 5K (23:17). Monroe's Emma Wild won the 12 and younger division (25:21.5). Brodhead's Bryanna Bauman, 28, won the championship in the 20-29 age group (22:45.4). Kathleen Lupont, of Rockford, won the 40-49 age group (22:23.5). In the 50-59 age group, Monroe's Tina Buvid claimed the title (23:29.1). Barb Arnett, 60, of Merill won the 60-69 age group (25:50.1). Monroe's Nancy Hawkinson won the 70 and older division (37:14.8).
In the 10K, Darlington's Allyson Meyers, 12, finished first in the 12 and younger division (48:45.1). Gurnee's Nathan Klimt, 13, finished first (45:19.4). Monroe native Patrick Klein, of Prairie du Chien took first in the 20-29 division (33:11.3). Madison's Rodee Schneider finished first in the 30-39 age group (35:07.9). Brian Bottcher, 43, of Caledonia, Illinois, was the top finisher in the 40-49 age group (41:28.7). In the 50-59 age group, Mike Martin of Wayne claimed the top spot (34:49.3). Scott Vinall, 63, won the 60-69 age group (46:07.7). In the 70 and older division, Monticello's Michael Gengler won (52:50.8).
