Threlfall running through the storm

If anything, the loneliness of the long-distance runner has prepared him well for what is happening around him as the coronavirus takes its toll on everything.

“A lot of the training we do is solo anyway,” Threlfall said.

“I’m used to putting in the hard work away from people and getting myself there, so in a few ways nothing has really changed.”

There is one major difference though — for the first time in his running career, Threlfall is not sure what he is training for.

Today he was supposed to go to Rotterdam in the Netherlands to compete in his next marathon, but like every other major sporting event, it has been called off.

“It’s disappointing more than anything,” he said.

“You don’t get upset about something like this because it was a decision made to protect people, and we all completely understand and agree with this decision.

“But it is disappointing when you had something you were working towards and now you don’t get to complete it.”

It was not the only trip he had to cancel, with a planned adventure to Flagstaff in Arizona also on hold.

“I was heading over for four weeks to help Jaryd Clifford train,” he said.

Clifford has vision impairment issues due to juvenile macular degeneration.

“He was training for the Paralympics, which requires him to have partners essentially tethered to him to help out with pacing and guiding, so we were quite excited to head over and help in his training,” Threlfall said.

While for now things are on hold, he knows this will eventually come to an end.

And when it does, Threlfall wants to be ready.

“I’m still loving the running I am getting in,” he said.

“I’m not running towards anything right now, and that’s okay. It’s good to just have something to focus on while we get through this.

“Eventually this is going to be over, and when it is, we can get back to a lot of what we love. And I’m excited for when that happens.”