Meon Valley Plod, 12th Feb 2006
FOR many runners, the Meon Valley Plod is used as an early benchmark to their London Marathon training. For others, the gruelling 20-miler around the Meon Valley which includes a fiendish climb up Butser Hill, is a challenge to be tackled and endured.
Five Stubbington runners took part in this year's race, which was a pretty muddy affair, graced by cold and wet weather. In some parts visibility was fairly misty, and apparently at one stage of the course a few runners took a wrong route after someone removed tape indicating the trail.
However, the tricky conditions were all meat and two veg to Chris Hall, who finished 12th in the 311-strong field with a time of 2hrs 36min 51sec. Denmead Striders dominated the top placings with Nick Baker beating team-mate Steven Bishop by just over a minute with a winning time of 2:20.25.
Stubbington's John Exley managed to complete the course, which one runner measured at 21.48miles, in just under three hours in 2:53.04 for 44th place, and Graham James achieved the feat by just ten seconds, coming home in 2:59.50 and 61st .
Nick Kimber ran well for 146th spot in 3:28.22 , though Andy Lee had a race he would rather forget, with a disappointing 4:54.53 and 292nd .
The race was organised by Portsmouth Joggers, starting and finishing at Clanfield. It is regarded as one of the best organised races in the calendar, with excellent hospitality for runners at the finish.
Top female runner on the day was Lucy Brooks from the London-based Serpentine Running Club, who finished 14th overall in 2:38.24.
Click here for full results.