Ampthill Trophy Challenge XC – Sunday 16 October 2016

Lesley Pymm reports:  I had not done this event for a few years and was looking forward to it.  What I had not realized was that the course had changed and it has gone from 8k to 10k.  I can’t compare my time with anything else then.  When I got there it was chucking it down with rain. I dithered about whether to wear spikes or studs and, eventually, went for spikes as it was raining.  I think this was a mistake, but never mind.  Mike went and got coffee and then sat in the car reading the paper – hence no photos.  I warmed up and then waited for the start.  

Of course, the rain stopped and then the sun came out.  We did a half lap and then two full laps.  It all started to look familiar and I was waiting for a sneaky little hill that I remembered, but it didn’t come and I was running past the end of the small loop and heading for the woods to start the first full lap.  I love the bit in the woods and was gaining on people.  Out of the woods and climbing up onto a ridge – really enjoyed it.

Then it was downhill on a stony path and I was passed a couple who were running together.  Then it was a grassy path and I had just passed another woman who I had been chasing for a while.  I could hear a faster runner behind me and moved over to let him pass.  I’m not sure what happened then, I think my spike caught something as the ground was still quite hard as the rain had not soaked in.  Anyway, I went flying and slid along the path banging my head on the ground.

The woman I had just passed stopped to offer help, as did the couple I had passed.  I told them I was OK and that they should get going again.  I still wanted to beat them and couldn’t do that if they had all stopped to help me!  I got up and started to run.  I was pretty winded and a bit slow, but it started to get easier.  After a while I passed the couple again.  I thought about pulling out but decided against it.

I was catching up with the woman and finally did overtake her at about the same place on the final lap.  Then I just had to keep going.  I kept my lead and finished strongly.

I am still finding grazes – they are all down my back, as well as bruising on my hip and a sore arm.  I finished though, but will have an easier week until the weekend.  It seems that the sneaky little hill was cut out a couple of years ago at the request of the people who manage Ampthill Park, for conservation reasons – so that is fair enough, it is a lovely park.