By Nick Craddock

UK track and field athlete Ashley Trimble has improved by leaps and bounds since first setting foot on campus.

Trimble, a senior, intended to compete only in hurdles events before the start of her collegiate career. However, after struggling to find consistent performances in the hurdles, Trimble accepted the challenge of also participating in the multi-events, like the pentathlon (held indoors) and the heptathlon (held outdoors), to help her team.

In just her second season of competing in the multi-events, Trimble saw her hard work pay dividends in March at the National Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas. Trimble finished 11th in the pentathlon with a score of 3997 points, good for a personal record, and a UK varsity record. She was also chosen as an All-American.

“My expectations were to finish higher than 11th,” Trimble said. “But I broke my personal record so I thought it was a very good competition for me.”

Trimble’s performance was her first appearance at nationals, one that left a resounding impression on her coaches.

“Overall it was just a great performance,” said UK jumps, vaults and multi-events coach James Thomas. “If she could piece together an entire meet, she could easily win.”

UK sprints and hurdles coach Erin Tucker said he was amazed by the seamless transition to the multi-events Trimble has made, noting that only a few special athletes could excel after recently learning the disciplines.

The disciplines included in the pentathlon are the long jump, high jump, shot put, 800-meter run and 60-meter hurdles. The heptathlon sees the hurdles distance increased to 100-meters, along with the addition of the 200-meter run and javelin throw.

Trimble has a natural affinity for the event she has trained for the longest: hurdles. Conversely, Trimble thinks high jump is one discipline that she needs to pay extra attention to.

“You score a lot of points from high jump,” Trimble said. “The top-tier performers jump 5 feet 5 inches and above, but I jump around 5 (feet) 3 (inches).”

Tucker attributes part of Trimble’s success to what he describes as the “beginner’s mind,” as opposed to the “expert’s mind,” which allows Trimble to continually learn and improve.

The other reason for Trimble’s success is her work ethic.

“She is the hardest working athlete I’ve ever coached,” Tucker said.

Trimble’s hard work will continue as she makes preparations for two upcoming meets. The first is the Jesse Owens Track Classic, May 1 and 2, in Columbus, Ohio, where Trimble, a Columbus native, hopes to have the support of her hometown crowd. The second is the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships in Gainesville, Fla., from May 14 to 17.

Based upon Trimble’s heptathlon score of 5438, a UK varsity record, at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., earlier this season, she is a provisional qualifier for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.

Once Trimble closes the chapter on her collegiate career, it may not be the end of her track and field career, she said. Trimble added that becoming a future Olympian is a “realistic goal.”

“She’s going to be a hard person to replace,” Thomas said. “But she’s left a legacy of what can be done.”