Steven Chung had just won the half marathon at the Tamworth Running Festival - the second time he'd claimed the title - but instead of winding down, he was preparing for another run.
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The triple threat - for competitors wanting to compete in the half marathon, the 10k and the 5k - was introduced in 2021 and Chung was one of 21 runners to put their name down.
It meant the triple threat runners had to think a lot more about their individual runs.
"I did the Tamworth Half Marathon two years ago but they didn't have the triple then so I put everything into that one," Chung told The Leader.
"This is different because you know you have two races left so you still want to to go hard but you don't want to go too hard that you can't go again in another 40 minutes."
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Chung was about five minutes slower this year in the half marathon with a winning time of 1:14:24.
He backed up for the next two races to clock up 36 kilometres in total but the runner isn't new to covering long distances.
He competed in the 100-kilometre Ultra Trail Australia earlier this year and wants to have another crack at the event. He hopes to go "a little bit faster and do a bit better each time".
Chung's progression to this point started back in a high school when a self-described not naturally athletic year 7 student first got into running.
"I started at the back of the pack, never thought I'd get good at it," Chung said.
"But I think it's one of those things - it's like going to the gym. You keep going and day by day you might not see any immediate changes but the numbers start adding up after a while.
"And then one day you'll look back and realise that you've come a fair way from when you first started.
"It's quite motivating to know that you can see that sort of change over time just by showing up and training each day."
On Sunday, he was thrilled to be back in Tamworth.
He was based in town in 2019 on placement.
Chung now lives in Newcastle, working as a doctor in his first year out of university.
He said it was nice to catch up with old friends and have another run around Tamworth.
"I was really looking forward to coming back and seeing a few old familiar faces again, running the same old route. (It was) a walk down memory lane," he said.
TAMWORTH RUNNING FESTIVAL RESULTS
Barton Lane Practice Half Marathon
MEN
1: Steven Chung 1:14:24
2: Cameron James 1:17:47
3: Stewart Adamson 1:26:45
WOMEN
1: Leah Fitzgerald 1:22:49
2: Emma Clifton-Smith 1:32:40
3: Kelly Watson 1:34:01
Sampson's Car Repairs Tamworth 10
MEN
1: Ryan Binskin 34:01
2: Adam Williams 35:20
3: Steven Chung 35:57
WOMEN
1: Olissa Onley 39:04
2: Nikko Siddins 40:07
3: Amy Clift 43:33
Tamworth Shopping World 5km Fun Run
MEN
1: Caleb Bettison 16:42
2: Lachlan Cook 17:27
3: Steven Chung 18:00
WOMEN
1: Nikko Siddins 19:47
2: Isabella Wall 20:49
3: Mia Croker 21:04
Pro Active Physio Triple Threat
MEN
1: Steven Chung 2:08:24
2: Cameron James 2:24:06
3: Andy Smith 2:41:39
WOMEN
1: Kelly Watson 2:46:41
2: Sally Poole 3:11:37
3: Kristen Miller 3:28:34