Fair run draws more than 100 participants

Participation was up more than 10 percent at this year’s Chase County Fair Run held early in the morning Aug. 19.
    Race Co-Director Jonathan Beverly reports 105 men, women and youths finished in four competitive races in the 39th annual event. That’s up from 90 last year.
    The 5K, 10K and mile started and ended in front of Chase County Schools, while the kids’ half-mile was run on the CCS track nearby.
    As in years past, the largest participation was in the 5K with 66 runners. Nine ran the 10K, four finished the mile and an estimated 25 youths ran the kids’ half-mile.
    Imperial native Lyndsy Schultz of Denver was the overall 10K winner with a time of 39:44, which Beverly believes is the fastest women’s 10K time in race history.
    In 2006, Beverly said Schultz ran the 10K in 40:55, when the fair run started and ended at the fairgrounds. His records show her 2006 time was just seconds off of Susan Bennett of Holyoke, Colo., who held the 10K women’s record at 40:40 up until this year.
    The fair run has followed the new course from the school since 2013.
    Scott Lambley of Benkelman holds the overall best 10K time in fair race history at 38:46, which he ran in 2013.
    Compared to 2016, Beverly said runners this year faced a warmer day at 68 degrees that morning, with 68 percent humidity, but runners overall said it felt comfortable.
    “The runners up front in both (10K and 5K) were faster than last year,” Beverly noted.
    Chris Bartels of Imperial, a teacher/coach at Chase County Schools, was the overall 5K winner, finishing over a minute faster than last year’s winner Jacob Schuman, who was second this year.
    Schultz’s winning 10K time was 24 seconds faster than last year’s winner, Troy Swartz of McCook, and more than 10 minutes faster than last year’s female 10K winner.
    Imperial’s Alicia Fries was first female across in the 5K at 24:33, while Wauneta’s Willis Christner was the first male to finish the 10K at 48:27.
    Ali McNair of Imperial was the first place mile winner, while Brextin Moreno and Aria McNair, both of Imperial, were the first boy and girl across the line in the half-mile.
    Stealing the show in the kids’ 800 was Millianna May, who completed the full two laps with her oversized T-shirt hanging to her ankles.
    All of the youths in the half-mile event, which is sponsored and directed by the McNair Agency and family, received a sno-cone certificate and a ribbon.
    Beverly said there were a number of indispensable volunteers including Carl Zuege,Troy Hauxwell, Bruce Peterson and members of the Longhorn junior high and high school cross country teams. The race directors also appreciated the assistance from Chase County Schools and the city of Imperial.
    The cross country runners were unable to compete this year since practice had already started, Beverly said.
    All runners received a T-shirt or tank top designed by Dianne Way and Chelsea Zuege. A number of runners also went home with some nice door prizes.
    Race sponsors included Imperial Super Foods, McNair Agency, Synergy Total Fitness and Jonathan and Tracy Beverly.
    Here are full results from the race.
Overall winners
Kids 800 m—M: Brextin Moreno; W: Aria McNair
One Mile—W: Ali McNair, 7:50
5K—M: Chris Bartels, 17:57; W: Alicia Fries, 24:33
10K—M: Willis Christiansen, 48:27, W: Lyndsy Schultz, 39:44

5K men age group winners
13 and Under—1) Traven Richardson, 2), Ben Lefdal, 3) Tyrel Richardson
14–19—1) Tell Richardson, 2) Jake German
20–29—1) Jacob Schuman, 2) Justin Hatcher, 3) Brian Lee
30–39—1) MJ Weingarter, 2) Alex McNutt, 3) Jake Ferebee
40–49—1) Dale Richardson, 2) Ryan Witiki, 3) Aaron Troxell
50–59—1) Roy Grosbach; 2) Mark Gokie; 3) Bill Christensen
60–69—1) Tim Bartels
70+—1) Tony Cribelli
5K women age group winners
13 and Under—1) Aiden NoLeaf
14–19—none
20–29—1) Kylie Gokie, 2) Sara Krueger; 3) Cassi Carman
30–39—1) Ashli Maris; 2) Lindsey Neill; 3) Kory Fowler
40–49—1) Crystal Peterson, 2) Jennifer Harris, 3) Dyan Bartels
50–59—1) Linda Thayer, 2) Nanette Gokie, 3) Monica Poppe
60–69—None
70+—None
10K men age group winners
30–391) Evan Beimers, 2) Kurt Elder
50–59. 1) Michael Lewis
60–69. 1) Raymond Texter
10K women age group winners
30–39. 1) Lauren Klima, 2) Gail Ninnel
50–59. 1) Diane Zwicki
Full results
1 Mile Run—1) Ali McNair, 7;50; 2) Ava McNair, 8:36; 3) Michelle May, 10:37; 4) Kelli Richardson, 13:00
5K Run—1) Chris Bartels, 17:57; 2) Jacob Schuman, 19:29; 3) Justin Hatcher, 19:50; 4) Roy Grosbach, 21:10; 5) Brian Lee, 21:15; 6) Stephen Welsh, 21:16; 7) Logan Krueger, 21:17; 8) Jesse Ferebee, 22:04; 9) Tell Richardson, 22:37; 10) Traven Richardson, 23:55; 11) Mark Gokie, 24:07; 12) MJ Weingarten, 24:26; 13) Alex, McNutt, 24:26; 14) Bill Christensen, 24:26; 15) Alicia Fries, 24:33; 16) Jake Ferebee, 24:40; 17) Jake German, 24:42; 18) Aiden NoLeaf, 24:55; 19) Mark Bottom, 25:30; 20) Kylie Gokie, 25:49; 21) Ashli Maris, 26:07; 22) Brandon Ehrhart, 26:11; 23) Crystal Peterson, 26:13; 24) Sara Krueger, 26:28; 25) Linda Thayer, 26:29; 26) Kindsey Neill, 26:37; 27) Nanette Gokie, 26:55; 28) Stan Browning, 27:07; 29) Jennifer Harris, 27:37; 30) Kory Fowler, 27:39; 31) Dale Richardson, 27:43; 32) Dyan Bartels, 27:48; 33) Ben Lefdal, 27:54; 34) Tyrel Richardson, 28:27; 35) Dawson Mollendor, 28:38; 36) Trevin Moreno, 28:44; 37) Leslie Aeby, 29:41; 38) Misty Richards, 29:53; 39) Dashle Richards, 29:53; 40) Monica Poppe, 30:06; 41) Cassie Carman, 32:05; 42) Renae Bottom, 32:11; 43) Jim Cooper, 32:12; 44) Christine Nelson, 32:28; 45) Mariah Robinson, 32:38; 46) Carter Leibbrant, 33:19; 47) Aodhan Browning, 33:30; 48) Layden Witsel, 33:35; 49) Bethany Cochran, 34:39; 50) Steven Browning, 34:44; 51) Katie Ferebee, 36:15; 52) Ryan Witsel, 37:44; 53) Cobi Witsel, 37:44; 54) Carrie Waide, 39:15; 55) Liz Molllendor, 39;29; 56) Tracy Beverly, 41:32; 57) Tim Bartels, 47:08; 58) Deon Skomp, 47:09; 59) Ben Gremel, 47:10; 60) Emma Bartels, 47:11; 61) Kristy Dupeire, 55:41; 62) Tina Wright, 55:41; 63) Aaron Troxell, 55:55; 64) Michelle Troxell, 57:04; 65) Tony Cribelli, 59:00; 66) Faith Cook, 1:00:19
10K Run—1) Lyndsy Schultz, 39:44; 2) Lauren Klima, 42:04; 3) Willis Christner, 48:27; 4) Michael Lewis, 53:14; 5) Evan Beimers, 56:06; 6) Diane Zwicki, 57:07; 7) Kurt Elder, 58:05; 8) Gail Dinnel, 58:05; 9) Raymond Texter, 1:02:09
Kids Half Runners included—Mylah Aeby, Bailey Cook, Jade Cook, Lilly Dinnel, Hayden Fowler, Bria Kaliff, Riley Kaliff, Addison Hauxwel, Haven Hauxwell, Gavyn Maris, Maura May, Millianna May, Tatum May, Anna McNair, Aria McNair, Tucker Mollendor, Walker Molendor, Brextin Moreno, Clayson Thayer, Cryder, Thayer, Zoey Troxell