jane's story

The Triffic Trail 10k is an annual event organised by Trent Park Running Club and was sponsored this year by the Ashdown Clinic – the bestest multi-disciplinary health clinic in Potters Bar. Fellow osteopath Paul and I decided to run as part of Team Ashdown with others holding court at the start/finish line with a massage tent and MBT shoe stall and head honcha Bev in charge of giving out the prizes.

Sunday dawned grey and drizzly in Surrey and it was no better north of the capital. Trent Park is just a stone’s throw away from Cockfosters tube station and when Ramon and I arrived the tents were up and runners and their supporters already milling around and warming-up. After signing on it was time for a quick stretch before lining up on the start line for my first ever official run! There was no time to get nervous, before I had even finished the energy gel Ramon was force feeding me on the startline, the klaxon had gone and we were off!
The first km was a flat straight tarmac road through the park, ideal for letting the fast guys get away and thinning the 394 strong field before hitting the small gravel paths in the wooded section. Several of my patients had warned me that Trent Park was not flat and they were right, the trail launched immediately downhill which was made more exciting by the patches of thick, squelchy mud and large puddles to negotiate. Obviously an uphill section followed but the dense woodland seemed to take the edge off the gradient. The trail emerged into grassland, skirted some lakes, climbed a leg sapping field then delved into rooty singletrack before rejoining the original gravel path back to the finish.
The first km was a blur, 2k came far too quickly, 3k took an eternity and I wondered why I ever thought that this would be a good idea, I missed 4k, there was a water station and cheering supporters at 5k, at 6k I reassured myself that I only had just over my normal run to go, I missed 7k too, at 8k I was quite enjoying myself and half disappointed that it was all going to be over so soon, at 9k was the steep hill we’d descended earlier and not half as bad as expected – I even over took people! and as I turned onto the finish straight I spotted Ramon wielding his camera. ‘me, me, take my photo’ I yelled, he ran with me to the end, cajoling me to sprint to the finish but I only have one speed, my sprinting looks no different to my normal pace except the stride is marginally longer.

At 10k the Ashdown mob were cheering me home and I crossed the line in a pleasantly surprising 50:41 a P.B.! Paul came in moments behind, success all round for Team Ashdown!
We wandered back to the sponsor tents and were soon back to work sorting out twisted ankles and cramping muscles. Bev proved very bounteous at the presentations for the super fit fast people and once all had dispersed we congratulated ourselves and celebrated with a fine feast of a picnic. Then men came and dismantled the tents around us and it was time to go home or get wet.
Results: Jane 50:41, 160th overall 8/44 in category
Paul 51:57 179th overall 46/72 in catagory