Holmes has skipped the indoor season in previous years Full Birmingham schedule

The Commonwealth 1500m champion lines up alongside long-time rival Maria Mutola in a strong field in Birmingham.

But she says she will have to rely on "trial and error" at the event, despite her wealth of track experience.

"Anything I achieve will be a total bonus," said Holmes, 32, whose outdoor medal haul includes Olympic bronze in 2000 and Commonwealth gold in Manchester last year.

"I'm still learning about the indoors, of course, so it's going to be a case of trial and error.

"But I shall go out there to enjoy it, do the best I can, and hope that the change in the training routine pays off in the outdoor season."

I would say I now have three-quarters of the fitness I would have for the peak of the outdoor season Kelly Holmes

Fresh from training in South Africa, Holmes is happy with her early-season fitness.

"Everything is different for me this year," she said.

"I came out early and raced well enough to know that my fitness is great compared to other years.

"The whole set-up has been great for training at altitude. It has involved less mileage but more quality, and much more intensive hill work and track work than I have been used to during the winter.

"Normally I don't do an indoor season. But I would say I now have three-quarters of the fitness I would have for the peak of the outdoor season."