SWINDON Harrier Andrew Sherman returns to action this weekend in what will be his first race of 2014.

The 32-year-old former Great Britain junior from Wroughton, who lives in America, will line up for a big race in his adopted home city of Indianapolis for what will be his second half marathon.

It will be his first race since finishing 18th in the trials for the European Cross Country Championships in Liverpool last November and Sherman say he is relishing the prospect of competing again.

“Training has been going well although I had a small setback when I got the flu just after New Year,” said Sherman.

“I had to take five days straight off training, but I have been building back up ever since.

“I am racing this coming weekend (May 4) in the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon - which is actually a half marathon distance so don't know why they don't just call it that!

“I am hoping to run close to - and hopefully faster- than my debut half back in November. I feel like if the weather and conditions co-operate I'm definitely in shape to do so from the last four or five weeks of training.”

Sherman, who built his reputation as an outstanding cross country and track runner in his junior days, made an impressive debut in the Indianapolis Monumental half marathon clocking a time of 65mins 56secs, which placed him 26th in the 2013 UK Rankings.

At the time Sherman said he felt he could go a lot quicker having treated his debut with some caution “I couldn’t expect too much from my first one but I know I can go quicker at the half,” added Sherman.

Given the right conditions and competition there is every chance that the former Ridgeway School student, who now works as a web developer in Indianapolis after marrying an American in September, could go well under 65 minutes.

“Once I get the weekend out the way I will regroup and get weekly mileage back up, get back on the quality sessions and then look at racing again hopefully by end of May,” said Sherman.