Oxford City star Hannah England says going the extra mile in Sheffield on Sunday, February 12 will boost her London 2012 preparations.

The world championship 1,500m silver medallist is competing over the longer 3,000m distance at the Aviva Indoor UK Trials and Championships.

England is not giving up the metric mile and has no plans to go to the World Indoor Championships, but she wants to keep her training fresh.

“It is a different challenge,” she said. “I will be against the 5k and cross country girls, who I don’t often compete against, so it will take me out of my comfort zone.

“I am doing more endurance training at this time anyway, especially with the work I did in Kenya, so I may be more suited to this distance at the moment.”

The 24-year-old will complete her indoor campaign in the Aviva Grand Prix at Birmingham on February 18.

England said such events helped her focus before moving on to the more serious competition in the outdoor season.

“It is fun to have something to concentrate on in my training,” she said. “It can seem like a long time from the end of one summer to the start of the next year.

“It is good to refresh your memory of what competing is about.

“It is fun, especially as training can be a bit monotonous.”

After Birmingham, England will spend five weeks in the UK.

One event in her diary is the Teddy Hall Relays in Oxford on Wednesday, March 7, which she will start.

“It is the day after my birthday and I will be at home to celebrate,” said England.

She added that she may even form a team for the event with fellow Oxfordshire athlete Hatti Dean.

England and steeplechaser Dean share a coach in Bud Baldaro and are good friends.

“We do a lot together,” said England.

“I see (Oxford City triple jumper) Nathan Douglas quite a lot in Birmingham too.

“We are a relocated Oxford unit.”

England will then go to Florida State University for three weeks.

And before her outdoor season gets under way, she will go on a UK Athletics training camp in Fort Romeu, France.