Barrie Roberts reports on the UWIC Open Meeting (inccluding Welsh Masters Indoor Championships 2011) that took place on 9th Jan and 5th March 2011 in Cardiff:
I have recently completed my first indoor championships. Although in recent years I have had a few training sessions at the NIA here in Birmingham, until this year’s Welsh Masters Indoor Championships at Cardiff I had never competed indoors. However, I was curious to find out what it would be like running indoors — And now I know!
Running in a championship race isn’t just about running PBs but about beating the opposition in your own age category, i.e. those who are still standing! Also, as one is often running in more than one heat/event on the same morning or afternoon there is the issue of ‘keeping one’s powder dry’.
This year’s Welsh Masters Indoor Championships were held at relatively short notice, and my general fitness level and preparation was not what I would have wished going into a championship. But if I chose not to participate I would have to wait for at least another year and I’m not that patient. Some people might argue that people like me suffer from ‘the impetuosity of youth’ or words to that effect. And they could be right!
My recorded performances were as follows:-
60M 10.63 Gold (M65)
200M 38.70 Silver (M65)
400M 78.39 Gold (M65)
800M 3:11.8 Silver (M65)
1500M 6:16.53 Gold (M65)
I am glad to have had the opportunity of participating in an indoor track meeting but I prefer to be ‘out of doors’.
Well done Barrie – great results! I always found the camber of indoor tracks difficult to run on. I have only trained on it, never competed – but it made my poor old joints hurt! Congratulations.