When he crossed the line at the Cadbury Half Marathon in January 2020, it was the pay off of years of hard work.
After getting closer and closer seemingly every race and finally breaking through for his first win, the time came to back it up with his next race.
But there wasn't one to run. With COVID-19 came an enforced 15-month layoff.
“It's been a really tough lay-off,” Threlfall said.
“When you feel like you've done something you have been building to for a long time, to then have to wait for your next opportunity is frustrating.”
Threlfall spent the time off working with another running sensation in local Archie Reid, with the pair becoming highly competitive training partners.
“We ran a few time trials on different distances,” Threlfall said.
“It was great to be training but also competing with Archie. We were both able to push each other to get better and see what we were capable of.
“It's not the same as being in an actual competition, but you have elements of that by going head-to-head with one another, and that makes you push yourself a bit harder.”
Threlfall returned to active competition in Canberra, running the half marathon as part of the Canberra marathon festival, and quickly found himself battling it out with Toby Menday.
By the middle portion of the race, Threlfall and Menday found themselves going head-to-head for the lead. By the 18km mark, Menday had broken ahead.
“It's not the way I typically run,” Threlfall said.
“I typically get myself into a rhythm and trust my own racing, but I was in a position where I was being pushed to stay with him.
“It's a different challenge, but one I believed I was up to.”
Threlfall reigned the lead back in over the following kilometres, setting up a strong finish.
“I'm getting a bit older, but I know I still have some speed in my legs,” he said.
“So I believed if we got into a sprint finish I had what it takes to get him.”
As it turns out, it paid off as planned, with Threlfall claiming the win by 18 seconds in 1.07:42.
“It wasn't for off my PB, but it ranks really high in terms of my previous runs,” he said.
“I've spent a lot of my time running at times, so getting into a position to win is something that I really enjoyed, and the outcome is something I am really excited by.”
Threlfall's next major events will come in Launceston in June followed by the Gold Coast in July.
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