This race report comes from chair Ryan Stocks, featuring a fell race on Monday 21 April 2025:

On a slightly dreary bank holiday Monday myself and Dom (Devlin) ventured back up to Oxpsring for round 2 of The Trunce. We were hoping the hills had been simplified and we wouldn't need armbands and flippers but sadly only one of those dreams came true. Those hills were as brutal as ever. 

The 2 of us pepper-potted for the majority of the race. Dom encouraging me up the hills as I regretted 2 races in a day. We stuck together well for the majority of the race encouraging each other along and proclaiming 'who's idea was this? I could be sat at home with a beer watching Forest...' The second hill was particularly torturous as some form of Sergeant Major gave us an earbashing (well verbal encouragement) to get up the hill to the stile. We then both had particularly fast finishes despite the fact a fellow competitor told me to stop to tie my shoelace, no chance! 

The interesting thing about this series is the results are split down between overall and age group along with personal best. Points are awarded to the first 20 finishers in each age category. The first runner is awarded 20 points, the second 19 and so on. A runner can gain up to an additional 10 points if they better their previous Personal Best (PB) Trunce time.

Overall in the seniors category I was 36th and Dom was 38th. We both scored the maximum 10 points for beating our course PB by more than 30 seconds. 

In the V40 category I was 9th
Dom in the M category was 17th

​The next event is Monday 12th May, £3 to enter. 

This race report comes from chairman and prolific racer Ryan Stocks.

On Easter Monday I ventured over to Rowsley Station for the 'Runner Vs Steam' hosted by Matlock Athletic Club. A great concept for an event, particularly for those with supporters who can board the train and watch the chase! It's also a very popular event which sells out fast, I only got in via the waiting list. Free parking, plenty of toilets and a nice café. 

It's a pretty flat, well marshalled route with a couple of stairs and bridges to negotiate. The train on the way out was actually pretty quick, I was the last runner (approximately 10th) to cross the track before it passed through towards the turn point so it went out a bit quick (sound familiar viewers....) It eventually came in 63rd place in a time of 52 minutes. 

The post race goodies were a drawstring bag with a bottle of water, chocolate, and a woolly hat.

Credit to Matlock for hosting a really well organised event and racephotos.org.uk for the free pictures. I'd highly recommend this event. ​

On the 12th April 2025 KAD Luke Jones completed the 35km Peak Running Birthday Bash, finishing in 6th place overall and winning the men's V40 age category. This is Luke's report from the race, along with a few cracking photos, enjoy!

A sunny warm Saturday the peaks were on beautiful form, although it made for tough racing conditions. With a sub 4 hour target in mind and a time I'd been talking about openly I felt the pressure on the start line. I started with purpose, pushing harder for the first 6 miles. By the 1st check point I was already feeling the heat impacting my energy.  I was happy with my check point transition, straight in refilled a bottle and straight back out.

Heading out from Hayfield legs started to feel a bit heavier, and found it a real slog up from Kinder reservoir to join the Pennine Way, I got through a lot of my water on this section. Trying to find a rhythm in my pace from Kinder Downfall along the top of Kinder was a non-starter. I clipped my feet numerous times before finally stacking it, my hands taking the brunt of the fall and calves instantly cramping. This stopped me in my tracks and knocked my confidence, after a mini wobble I tagged in at the Kinder. I've had a few of these falls lately, my legs seem to lack the speed to catch my falls in the later miles, frustrating!

Starting the decent from Kinder Low I got my head down and gradually got back into a steady pace although descending Jacobs Ladder much slower than previous efforts, got down in one piece and pushed the decent down to Upper Booth legs feeling super heavy. I was out of water by this point and started to cramp a little on the climb out of Upper Booth. No cramp running back down all the way to the Edale check point but I was ready for water. Took a minute here to wash down 2 electrolyte tablets and refilled 1 bottle.

Out of Edale and back up to Hollins Cross, felt like I was walking more than running just trying to keep pushing forward. I hadn't been watching my time and had decided I would wait until Hollins Cross to check. In my mind of was already over the 4 hour mark but to my surprise the timer read 3.45. This gave me a pick up although my legs were threatening to cramp up the whole way down the last road section. I was now checking my watch every 10 seconds with 4 hours getting closer, when I saw Chester and Anna just before the carpark. I high fived Chester before checking my watch a final time, and knowing is was done I pushed on for the finish.

Nutrition wise I went with 6 beta fuel gels, 1 every 40 mins roughly. Just over 2 litres of water (not quite enough).

​Luke Jones

What a fantastic turn out for KADS, with 40 members donning the maroon and silver and representing the club at the first race of the summer league. I was also pleased to have a few newer members running with us and others doing summer league for the time, I hope you had fun and will come again for the other races this season. The forecast rain stayed away and gave us good conditions for running on the night and we had some great performances on the flat, fast 4.6 mile trail run. Teversal is a great course for trying to run quick, but I can't be the only one who thinks that last mile to the finish seems to go on forever. 

For the men's team first home was Matt Hammond, in 13th overall with a time of 27:17. Scoring for the team we had Jason Buckley (52nd), Ryan Stocks (64th), Stefan Joyce (68th), Kevin Johnson (74th), David Hill (88th) and Dan Bailey (116th). We also had Iyan Bunhejee, Darren Dodsley, Robin Damion, Simon Tooth, Dom Devlin, Steve Robinson-Day, Chris Laban, Rob Gooch, Dan Gooch, Steve Sharpe, Nick Tennant, Chris Chandler, David Brockhurst, Michael O'Brien and Alan Cook. 

For the ladies first we had Helen Woods, 30:17 for 4th in the ladies race and 69th overall. Also scoring for the team we had Eve Taylor (23rd), Zoe Attenborough (Furley) (27th), and Nicola Chamberlain (39th). Then we had Emma Meredith, Sam Garside, Vicky Sutton, Jen Turner, Kirstie Dodsley, Wendy Akers, Hazel Perrett, Alexis Hutchinson, Katie Newton, Linda Ward, Julie Buckley. Lisa Hilliard, Karen Layton and Angela Henson. 

Well done everyone. It was always great, as ever, to see our runners sticking around to cheer in their teammates after their run on the night, a real example of what our club is all about. Thanks as well to Micky for his support, to Stuart for supporting and sorting out the tokens on the night and to Angela for insisting on and bringing the hot drinks, she is right about it getting cold after you've stopped at that first race.

Hopefully we can keep up the great numbers at the next DRL race on 6th May at Cromford (up the hill, down the hill, a course that suits me much better). All you need to do is turn up on the night in KADS vest, don't need EA for this one. League running is for everyone who wants to give it a go and the support of your fellow clubmates on the night is second to none. 

Hon the mighty KADS

Dom 
Men's captain

On a sunny spring Monday evening we set off up the M1 to take on the first Trunce race of the year. Having read about this race over the winter we were looking forward to giving it a go. With a couple of big climbs and three river crossings in 4 miles it sounded like exactly the kind of race Dom would love and Ryan would love to hate.

We beat the crowds getting to the field so avoided the queue, paid our £3, pinned on our homemade race numbers, warmed up and were ready to go racing in our new KADS vests for the first time.​

Mile 1
DD - After a delay to the start the whistle came out of nowhere and we were off. A fast start with a couple of gates, which didn’t slow me down as much as I thought, then after a short climb a downhill section through the woods, I was a bit held up here on the narrow track to the famous kissing gate and down to the first river crossing, they say you shouldn’t use the stones because of the slip risk but they were dry so I bounced across them no issues, down the short road section and on to the first hill


RS - "Don't recce t'route, it's on private land'' was the start brief in a booming Yorkshire twang and we were off. Unlike Dom, we had fights to get over the first sets of various gates. Nice downhill through the woods and across the river (I went through it) and was feeling relatively comfortable. 

Mile 2
DD - Probably the best section of the route, up to the top of the hill along and along quarry top, it’s a bit narrow but an interesting path and very runnable. I did end up getting held up a little along here and on the path to the second river crossing. This one was a little deeper and catching my foot on a tree root on the bank meant a stumble and wet shorts for the rest of the run, luckily managed to stay on my feet though. 

RS - Shoelace came undone at the start of mile 2. Tied it, looked up, saw the hill, immediately stopped feeling comfortable and said a few profanities whilst approaching it. And going up it. I was then informed this wasn't the worst of the inclines. A few more profanities. Got held up when eventually we could run so a couple of us had to make our own routes across a tricky ridge. Probably the best downhill section through the woods and onto the deep river crossing. Vertically challenged people like myself might have needed armbands. 

Mile 3
DD - Starts off on a fast downhill road section all the way to the final river crossing followed by a tough hill. Admittedly I walked here and there on this hill because others around me were, I probably should have been able to run the whole thing though so will be next time.

RS - Half mile or so of tarmac running was nice down to the next river crossing. Fella in front of me took the stepping stones and stacked it completely. Bloody arm and face, he said he was fine and carried on. Then into 'Parliament Hill' style mud and the hardest uphill which felt never ending. Walked all of it, probably the lowest point for me and got annoyed with myself. Single track path also made overtaking difficult. 

Mile 4
DD - Fantastic finish to a race with a very quick downhill, followed by a flat path. I ran hard down the last straight and managed to hold off the guy chasing me who I could hear the whole way, but wasn’t quite able to catch the next guy in front who had came past earlier though. All in all a very enjoyable race.

RS - Downhill finish, ran hard, no idea where the finish line was, so I was clinging on for dear life. Play the game though, every PB is worth points here.  Immediately crossed the finish line for a tactical chunder like several others. Tough but unique course. 

Overall result: Ryan 67 in 34:09 Dom in 89 in 35:58 out of 341 in the senior race. 

The next Trunce race is 21st April and there are 7 more after that as well if anyone wants to come along. In terms of difficulty it’s probably similar to our cross country league races.
Sure what else would you be at on a Monday evening? 
​
Dom and Ryan