Pork Pie Plodders face quagmire at 24-hour challenge

A team of five Pork Pie Plodders travelled to Derbyshire last weekend to take part in the Conti 24-hour Thunder Run.

This was the Melton club’s fourth time at the sell-out event where runners aim to complete as many 10k laps of a cross country course as they can in 24 hours.

Sunshine gave way to persistent heavy rain as the Pork Pie Plodders took on the 24-hour challenge EMN-170725-161745002

placeholder image — Sunshine gave way to persistent heavy rain as the Pork Pie Plodders took on the 24-hour challenge EMN-170725-161745002

Unlike previous years when the Plodders fielded a mixed team of eight, this year’s contingent of Gosia Garner, Andrea Dziemianko, Teresa Wrzyszcz, Emma Machowska were joined by Alastair Howe and competed in the mixed team of five category.

The weather once again added to the challenge already provided by the testing trail course.

The hot sunny start to the race proved to be temporary as heavy rain began to fall mid-afternoon on Saturday and continued unabated until Sunday morning.

The course quickly deteriorated into a muddy quagmire making walking difficult, and running even moreso.

But the Plodders finished the race muddy but delighted after completing a total of 20 laps.