Troy Douglas is determined not to let an error at his latest track meet spoil his build-up for the forthcoming outdoor season.

The Bermudian, who runs for the Netherlands, was taking part in the Energizer Euroseries indoor event in Birmingham, England on Sunday.

Lining up in the 60 metres against the likes of Britain's Jason Gardener and Brian Lewis of the USA, Douglas misjudged the start and was left standing - quite literally.

“They have a new start system. It's not a pistol, it's like a beeper sound,” the athlete explained. “I didn't know because the beeper sound used to be for false starts. So I thought it was a false start and just walked out of the blocks. I looked up and everybody had started running.”

By that time Douglas' race was run.

“In the 60 metres it was too short (a distance to catch them),” he said. “You cannot catch guys who run 6.5 when you have a late reaction like that. You just let them go and say ‘forget it, I'll catch them next time'.”

The 39-year-old, though able to see the funny side, said it was a disappointing outcome because he had high hopes going into the meet.

“I felt good. I was in good shape,” he said. “I came off a week of being sick, having had the flu. I trained on Tuesday and Wednesday, did the Dutch championships on Saturday and then I went to Birmingham on Sunday morning to compete in the afternoon.”

Douglas had been entered in two events, the 60 metres and the 200 metres, in the previous weekend's meeting in Ghent, Belgium, until the illness struck. However, in Birmingham he decided to concentrate solely on the shorter distance.

“The 200 metres is a lottery,” he said. “If you are not in lane four, five or six then forget about it. In Birmingham you had five guys in the 200 metres and all five had been under 20.70 indoors. Two guys had been under 20.60.

“That tells you what indoor running is all about, being able to get the right lane at the right time.

“I am not going to go in there stuck in lane one knowing that I am going to run 21 seconds - it's just not a good feeling for you.”

Despite his gaffe, Douglas said he felt good about his chances of success this year.

“I feel upbeat because I had a very good conversation with my coach and also have had good conversations with my colleagues, guys like (Namibia's) Frankie Fredericks and others who were there,” he said.

“I know where I am, I know what's wrong and when you know where you are and what's wrong in your running there is no need to get upset about it. You just stay positive and look forward.

“This is the kind of motivation I need to be ready for the summer. If things had gone too easy for me in this indoor season I think I would have not taken the outdoor season too seriously, I would have been too complacent. I need this - I am person who thrives off hard work and coming through tough times.”

Douglas' outdoor season begins in May.

“Where my first competition will be, I am not sure yet,” he said. “If I get a chance to go to somewhere like Japan or Martinique or Brazil in May then I will go to one of those competitions, get under 10.20 (in the 100 metres) and let them know that here I am and this is what I am ready to do in the upcoming season.”