Ponton Plod

12 mile start

The Ponton Plod is a challenge for both walkers and runners over either 12, 17 or 27 miles which starts and finishes at The Village Hall, Great Ponton, all routes use footpaths, bridleways, tracks and minor roads towards The Vale of Belvoir, the longer routes passing through several picturesque villages including Harlaxton, Wyville and Harston. The tenth running of this event raised funds for CASY (Counselling and support for young people) and the Besso Children’s Home in Hosur, India. The event takes place at this time of year so the entrants can enjoy traversing freshly ploughed field just to make it that bit tougher.

Adam, first home in the 27 miler

Grantham Running Club had a stellar line up of endurance athletes for the longest event, leading the way despite it being his first attempt on this route was serial marathon runner Adam Wasiolka, although Adam has competed in almost 100 full marathons and regularly does a 26 mile workout along the canal he was not as familiar with the route as his fellow runners in the lead pack and must have clock up quite a few miles in excess of the planned 27.8 miles as he put speed in front of map reading. His time of four hours and forty two minutes will be bettered in 2019! Next home was Paul “Rushie” Rushworth in 9^th place with a time of 4:51, Paul is a former winner of this event and has been runner up twice so knows the route well, as a new parent he is finding making the time to train for his ultra-running more of a challenge but was delighted to

Nick at checkpoint 1

be on his way back. The third of the GRC guys back was Robert McArdle in 10^th position with a time of 4:58 pleased to get under the five hour mark again but commented afterwards the increased signposting was making it easier than previous years! The final runner home for the club was Nick Payne, a member of the 100 marathon Club and a veteran of several 100 miles races he was able to regard this as no more than a walk in the park as he strolled home in 5:14.

On the 17 mile route GRC’s Nev Chamberlain was also able to use his experience of the course to finish in joint 8^th with a time of two hours and fifty one minutes, this year he was joined by Justyna Gill who completed the distance in four hours and twenty one minutes.

The 12 mile route attracted six ladies from GRC, first back was Sinead McDonnel, running with her husband in a time of 2:06 just a few minutes slower than last year. Next in were Rachel Varela and Lucy Worthington finishing in 2:32 with the final trio of, Claire Pimlott, Lucinda Gamble and Claire Fritz coming home in three hours and six minutes with the latter two tackling the run for the second year in a row.