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And still running...................!
The club was founded in March 1985 by a small
group of ‘slow but steady’ running enthusiasts led by Bob Terry,
working on advice from a former co-director of the Robin Hood Marathon,
the late Mike Thornhill.
Other founder members were: Rob Bailey, Dave Hubbard, Steve McCormick,
Ray Stone, Jane Terry, Gillian Thornhill and Paul Turville.
From these small beginnings, the club swelled to a membership of 50
within in a year, many of then attracted by its philosophy of
participation and pleasure, rather than heavy competition.
In keeping with this outlook, the club was soon entering many events
and organising its own handicap competitions, with runners setting off
at different times according to ability. Friendly disputes over the
fairness or otherwise of the handicapping still rage to this day!
Within two years, the membership was confident enough to organise the
club’s own showcase running event, the 10k ‘Goose Fair Gallop’. The
inaugural race was won by Eirik Hansen, a Norwegian athlete who had
entered on the day. (It was discovered later that he had run for his
country in the 1985 European Championships.) His time of 30.20 on a
challenging course has never been bettered.
Now established with its own race, its excellent social events, its
major contribution to the formation of ‘The Three Ponds League’, (a
group of local running clubs named after a local pub), KADS went from
strength to strength. By the mid-nineties, the membership total had
broken the hundred barrier.
Moreover, by now some of the members were beginning to feature well up
in local races: Vanessa Grant, Avril Allen and Colin Singleton all put
the club’s name firmly on the map with outstanding performances in
Nottingham’s Robin Hood Marathon. Mention should also be made of Ray
Johnson, who ran in every London Marathon from 1981 to 2006. That’s 26
London Marathons, one for every mile of the race.
It’s also appropriate to recall that, sadly, three members have passed
away while active with the club: Martin Speight, Jayne Tomlin and John
Pymm.
Today, the club remains true to its roots: running for enjoyment
through a positive social network.
So if you enjoy running and live in Kimberley, Eastwood or anywhere
around west Nottingham, do come and join us. |
