Pocklington 10K 2022: Howe’s about that?
Jordan Howe, James Tucker, Dan Tate and Laurence Griffin contest the lead early on
Jordan Howe was a debut victor and Charlotte Mason again the leading lady as the York and District Road Race League returned at Pocklington.
Howe (York Postal Harriers) took the spoils in the men’s race on his first league appearance, while 2019 women’s champion Mason (City of York) opened her title defence in style.
The Covid-19 pandemic meant that the popular 10k league had not taken place for the past two summers, but it resumed with some high-standard racing.
Howe was soon in a leading group of four alongside Laurence Griffin (York Knavesmire Harriers), Dan Tate (Selby Striders) and James Tucker (City of York).
But he made his move just before halfway as the race exited Millington and opened up a 23-second lead by the finish, coming home in 32:23.
Considering the undulating nature of the course, the standard of running was illustrated by the next three Griffin (32:46), Tate (32:52) and Tucker (32:58) all breaking 33 minutes.
Tadcaster Harriers’ James Eaton (33:42) and York Acorn’s John Yoward (34:14) completed the top six, whose times would all have won the 2019 race.
Josie Rawes (Knavesmire) made the early running in the women’s race before Mason took the lead around the 3k mark.
Mason could not let up her effort and finished 26th overall in 36:31, with Rawes an impressive second on her own league debut in 36:59.
Knavesmire’s Helen Cross (37:12) was third, ahead of clubmates Emily Baines (37:14) and Susannah Reid (38:27), with Selby’s Elizabeth Nairn (38:49) sixth.
Tate, Eaton and Yoward were the leading vet 40 men.
Easingwold’s Simon Donoghue (37:37) claimed the vet 50 men’s spoils, ahead of Pocklington Runners’ Graham Justice (38:52) and Tadcaster’s Glenn Armstrong (38:56)
City of York’s Steve Wright (40:43) topped the vet 60 rankings, with Easingwold pair Stephan Tomaszewski (41:06) and Colin Fletcher (43:02) completing the podium.
Tadcaster’s William Allan (48:27) took the vet 70 men’s category, ahead of Pickering’s Michael Hetherton (50:03) and Knavesmire’s Michael McGrath (52:13).
Cross was the first vet 35 woman home, followed by Nairn and Pocklington’s Katie Wise (41:41).
Knavesmire’s Hazel Hall (41:55) was a clear winner in the vet 45 women’s category, ahead of Tadcaster’s Jo Millican (45:09) and Acorn’s Julie Lawn (46:35).
Tadcaster’s Joanne Derry (45:36) claimed the vet 55 women’s honours, with Acorn’s Gill Boynton (47:45) second and Pocklington’s Elizabeth Beardsley (48:12) third.
Another Tadcaster runner, Sally Ann Polkey, dominated the vet 65 women’s event in 50:15, ahead of Knavesmire’s Mary Farmery (58:23) and Pocklington’s Kathy Taylor (61:51).
With six members in the top 15, Tadcaster were the leading men’s team on the night, ahead of Knavesmire and Acorn.
Knavesmire had four runners in the top five as they took the women’s team spoils, with Pocklington second and Tadcaster third.