The last time Randy Sheldon ran in track and field was in high school, but ironically, the sprinter finds himself back at high school, late at night, running down the halls.

Sheldon and training partner Tim Kroeker, a former Olympian and national champion, have been training at the gym and in the hallways at Merritt Secondary School late at night in preparation for the World Masters Indoor Athletics Championships being held in Kamloops starting Sunday.

The two 38-year-old men will compete in the event, designated for athletes aged 35 years and older, in sprinting and hurdling.

“Because it’s coming back close to home, I thought it’d be a good idea,” says Sheldon of wanting to get back into track.

This will be the first time the Masters will be held in North America and will feature thousands of athletes from all over the world.

Sheldon will run in the 60 and 200 metre sprints starting Monday.

“I’m either going to go into the final as the top eight or I’m out,” says Sheldon, who grew up watching Canadian track stars like Ben Johnson and Bruny Surin. Canada has traditionally done well at world track and field championships and summer Olympic games with runners like Johnson and Surin, as well as the most recent star Donovan Bailey, now retired.

Sheldon says the 200 metre run isn’t his strongest, but believes he will be in the “middle of the pack” for the 60 metre.

“I’m hoping to be around 7.3 seconds, which would put me in the top ten around world.”

There are over 20 competitors in each run. Kroeker will run in the 60 metre hurdle on Thursday.

Sheldon and Kroeker have been working out at the gym doing strength and speed training about eight times a week.

They take the weekends off to rest and recuperate.

“It’s been a good opportunity to get back in shape and teach P.E. at the high school,” says Sheldon.

“I’ve come a long way, but I know I can do better.”

He says his starts are not explosive as they should be.

“The blocks (starts) have been hit and miss.”

Through training with Kroeker, Sheldon has learned a few things.

“Tim had to show me technical running.”

“I didn’t have to go in and run as fast as I could, I had to move my body a certain way,” he explains.

The two are also good friends and have known each other since childhood. Both men grew up in Merritt.

Sheldon, a husband and father, says the buzz is starting at MSS and in Merritt and teachers and students are asking him about the big competition.

“My family is fairly excited,” says Sheldon.

Sheldon will race at 5:45 p.m. Monday night and 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, while Kroeker will run the hurdles at 1:15 p.m. Thursday. All events take place at the Tournament Capital Centre at Thompson Rivers University.