Maths Teacher Counts the Miles and Quadruples The Ledder
Jonathon Stewart has completed an impressive quadruple “Ledder”, his third running event in a series of challenges connected to the College and its grounds.
As a Maths teacher and Head of Cross Country, his approach has been simple: to show pupils that running, challenge and endurance do not require exotic locations; they can be created anywhere.
The Ledder remains one of Malvern’s most demanding traditions: a 12.5km route with 1,083ft of climb, combining the terrain of the Malvern Hills with the character of the College campus. Tackling it four times consecutively brought the total distance to marathon length, but in a way that remained rooted in the school environment.
This philosophy has underpinned all three of Mr Stewart’s recent challenges. Earlier in the term, he demonstrated that a marathon need not follow a traditional 26.2 mile course, instead completing 145 laps of The Triangle on campus. Likewise, rather than seeking out a mountain ascent or gym equipment, he built elevation through repeated climbs of the House 7 stairwell; showing that a “Stairmaster” can exist much closer to home.
Together, these challenges highlight the unique advantage of Malvern’s setting. The College grounds and the Malvern Hills provide an exceptional environment for running and outdoor activity – even if few would choose to test them in quite the same way.
All of Mr Stewart’s challenges have been undertaken in support of Myeloma UK.