You may already be a seasoned competitor or someone who likes a social run but have you ever tried indoor events. This is my guide and view on what it is and how you can enjoy.
I am not here to promote what I have done at indoor competitions but to just reassure you that I have competed in many different facilities around the UK and abroad in everything from 60m to 5000m to Pole Vault, Hurdles and beyond.
If we start at the beginning decide if it is for you, events are normally 60m and up to 3000m on the track with others such as shot putt, Long Jump, Hurdles, Pole Vault etc and of course not discus 😊
Indoor Stadiums are few and far between. London has Lee Valley fairly close to M25,J25 with the A10 junction. This is the only oval 200m track in the London area. Track incline varies from fairly flat where in Cardiff it is part of a multi-sport facility and comes up from the ground. Others are purpose built. The angle varies between 10 and 15% incline on the bends and with a 200m race you need to practice setting the blocks as lane 3 outwards make it tricky to set correctly with the angle. When running on the inside lane be aware of the angle for the longer races as the inside on your left feels like a magnet. Get use to grabbing some fresh air about 15minutes before your race so any air conditioning inside doesn’t affect your performance.
Another difference is choosing a warm up area so arrive early and work this out what suits you best.
Not sure I have sold the idea of competing indoor but if you fancy a break from the weather, not having to deal with mud or wind then please give it a try as I love it 😊
I am off in March 2023 to the fantastic facility in Torun, Poland, for the World Indoor Masters Championships, luckily for me it will be the third time I will have competed there. I hope to go there again in March 2024 for the European version of these Championships.
Happy to talk through any questions you may have in this area… Go on give it a go all the best Brian