Merits of Running Indoors

[iain]

How does an athlete decide whether to run indoors? Some (Meadows) always run indoors; some (Ohuruogu) never run indoors, some sometimes run indoors (Sanders) and (oddest of all) some (McConnell) just run the relay.
Who will run indoor this year? How do you tell?

[trickstat]

It looks like CO has never run an indoor individual 400, but she has run some relays (e.g. 2012 World Indoors!) and a few 60s and 200s over the years.

[iain]

OK, bad example but I'm sure there is someone who has never run indoors.

[jjimbojames]

I think some do it to break up the monotony of winter training, whilst some are more suited (e.g. 60m-100m guys like Gardener), so it makes sense to play to their strengths

Some don't run indoors as the boards can take a strain, whilst some distance runners get bored by the monotony of running twice as many laps

There is no set way to tell is the short answer!

[bevone]

Some like gardener made a lot of money indoors!!! Of course there is the bllsht factor but some athletes have told me that they or their competitors have earned 200k indoor but obvioulsy they had to be winning titles. I seem to recall reading that Jason Gardener was going to loose £70k off his kit sponsors one year for an indoors related reason. Out doors he hasn't made a major games final so h was obviously getting something for winning world indoors. I also read Jess Ennis was on £320k by adidas and was to be increased thanks to her Olympic display. So there is money out there if you are the top of your game.

This also leads into lottery funding - if you are that good you gets means tested out of it so you have to ask who is taking any money out of the podium funding level. I suppose there were quite a few on it who did not get selected or were not on form. Some are getting money as I see quite a few driving expensive range rovers and flash sports cars which cost more than the top rate of funding!! I was reading that many of the other sports like rowing and cycling the top athletes get £70k off lottery - plus expensive cars - I suppose a minimum for some of the rowers to keep themselves in the lifestyle they are accustomed to!I wonder if hoy and co get paid by lottery as I expect they get lots from sponsors and the sky team! I am sure if our top athletes were on £70k they would have little to worry about and maybe perform better. The problem is you have to perform first to get to the pot of gold - and now everyone is getting Olympic golds!!!

[yorkshire_best]

Then there is the matter of an NGB needing so many on funding to show they are doing there jobs correctly, hence so many athletes being funded but hardly any of them on the podium...this is clearly funding to save jobs and it is wrong and another admission of failiure.

[fangio]

So name the ones you would nto have funded, only you can't include anyone in the top 8 at the last WC or OG as UK Sport chose those as teh A and B levels and they are not negotiable. You cannot also include the 4 members of a medal winnign relay team, as they go on podium too. Relay fudning is reserved for those who were not part of a relay team that won a medal and now form part of the squad.

So of the discretiionary level C atheltes who do you think was there to make up the numbers and make UKA look good? Please name who you think has been used to inflate the numbers undeservedly. Either you have names or you are just having a go.

[TheRealSub10]

If you are a sprinter you decide if it will help with your outdoor preparation. For 100/200m runners getting the first part of the race mastered indoors can be very useful through running 60m but for a very good 200m runner the tight bends can be dangerous so many avoid the 200m indoors. This is especially true for male athletes running under 21s, for females the event is a lot safer but it basically comes down to a lane draw - lane 6 you win lane 1 you lose.

For the 400m typically the more compact runners do well indoors because they can handle the bends - hence why you don't see Martin Rooney indoors. For distance runners it depends on a lot of factors including if they are doing a cross country season, is this a good opportunity for you to win medals in a big event (Meadows) and also your coach's philosophy. If you are doing a lot of low intensity high volume training off track in the winter it can be dangerous to then switch to track based high intensity work immediately after Xmas... An indoor (or cross country) season can be very beneficial for an athlete but only if it is included in the coach's plan.

[yorkshire_best]

Then there is the matter of an NGB needing so many on funding to show they are doing there jobs correctly, hence so many athletes being funded but hardly any of them on the podium...this is clearly funding to save jobs and it is wrong and another admission of failiure.

Stings a bit this one doesn't it, but there again the truth does to trolls.