Pontefract Park Saturday 26th January 2019
Well over 2,000 of the North of England’s top cross country runners descended on Pontefract Park to contest the annual area championships on a mild and dry January day. This together with the gently undulating course guaranteed some extremely fast races, in total contrast to the mud baths encountered by many of these athletes during the 2018 season.
Jodie Martin was the first Kingston upon Hull athlete in action when she contested the under 17 women’s event over a 5 kilometre course, consisting of 2 small laps. A bronze medallist over 800m on the track last year in the Northern championships Jodie who was 14th last at year’s under 15 championship over the country was determined to improve on this position and followed the leaders over a very fast first 1 kilometre. She dropped off the pace slightly in mid race but then started to move back through the field and with a superb finish using her track speed to good effect came through to snatch 8th place from a field of well over 100. The title went to Darlington Harrier India Pentland who was hardly headed from gun to tape, stopping the clock at 17 min 17 sec, with Jodie recording 18 min 31 sec.
Harry Hudson has been a Kingston athlete for the last three years. The vast majority of his performances have been on the track, where he is a promising middle distance runner. He was the 800 metres silver medallist, at last year’s Northern track & field championships. He was the gold medallist at both the 2018 and 2019, Barton cross country events, and has represented the County, at the English schools cross country championships. Harry was injured before Christmas, and this championship race was the second outing of his comeback. He was in action at Pontefract, in the under 17 men’s 6.37 kilometres race, which was contested by a field of 139 runners. He took 34th place in the race, a good result, running the course in a time of 21:05 sec.
Tom Smales, put in some impressive performances, in the first half of the 2018/2019 cross country season. He ran well at both the Northern and the National cross country relays, and ran in the regional final of the English schools cross country cup. He also competed in the Up & Running, South Yorkshire league, cross country series, where he took 2nd place in all three of the competitions. 2019 has seen him take the silver medal at the County championships, followed by a gold medal at the Barton cross country event. At Pontefract he was in competition, in the under 15 boy’s 4 kilometres race, where he was running in a field of 201 athletes. He went out a little too fast from the start, which he paid for in the finishing stages of the race. He covered the course in a time of 13.35 sec, crossing the finish line in 38th place. This was still a great run from Tom, who was running in a quality field. Training partner Oliver Adnitt, was also in action in the under 15 boy’s race, stepping up a level, running in his first major championship event. For Oliver this race was all about progression, and gaining valuable experience. He navigated the course in a time of 15:14 sec, crossing the finishing line in 150th place.
Jess Cappleman experienced a regional championship for the first time in her career in the senior ladies 8 kilometre race. Some 400 athletes faced the starter including several Great Britain international competitors and Jess who is more at home over 400m & 800m on the track acquitted herself extremely well coming home in 127th place, covering the course in 35 minutes 44 sec. An exciting tussle at the head of the field saw another title heading to the north east when Morpeth Harrier’s Mhairi MacLennan came home first in 27 minutes 36 sec with just 4 seconds to spare over her closest rival.
Last but by no means least, master’s athlete Gregan Clarkson, flew the flag for Kingston in the senior men’s 12 kilometres race, which attracted a total of 704 runners He has been beset by injuries, for the last few months, which have affected his performances. He wanted to run this race and do the best he could. He covered the course in 44.07 sec, taking 134th place. He really enjoyed the race, producing possibly his best result in almost a year.
