Adam Williams' eight year nationals journey reached a golden crescendo in Adelaide on the weekend with the Farrer student taking out the under-18s boys 3000m at the Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships.
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His first national title, it was on Monday still all sinking in for the teenager, the fact that it was his last run in a national schools competition making it all the more special.
"That was the best way to end on," he said. "I've been competing at nationals now for eight years, since I was 10, and slowly been getting better and better.
"This is the first time I've medalled individually at a national meet, so I'm just absolutely stoked, and all the hard work's paid off."
Not just this year but over those eight years.
It has been in many respects a solo effort. He's pretty much trained by himself all that time.
The 3000m gold was actually his second medal, after winning silver in the 1500m earlier in the meet.
Probably better suited to the longer race, Williams said the 1500m medal did give him a confidence boost.
"I was really confident going in anyway just with the training that I've been doing, I knew I was capable of medalling if I ran the right race, and luckily I did, but it really helped mentally there," he said.
It was a tight finish in the 1500m, Williams pipping the Victorian runner on the inside in the final lunge to the line to clinch the silver.
Although, as he revealed, he didn't actually realise how close he was to him; his focus over the final 50m more occupied with the runner behind him.
"I actually had no idea about the Victorian, who I got on the line," he admitted.
"I was going as hard as I could, but I was just trying to run away from third rather than getting second.
"I just didn't want to get fourth. All I was telling myself was 'don't get fourth'."
As much about tactics in long distance racing, the plan for the 3000m was to "stick with the front pack" but "try not to do too much of the leading".
"Luckily I got in a good position the majority of the race, got the inside rail so I wasn't running too much extra distance," Williams said.
Out in front with two other runners going into the final lap, he did attempt a move on the Victorian runner in front at one stage but he kicked when he saw him coming.
"So I just tried to stay patient and went back on the inside and just waited for an extra 100 and gave it everything again in the last 100, and luckily I had more than them," he continued.
It was a big few days for Williams.
A couple of hours before the 1500m he learnt he had been named the Most Outstanding Secondary Athlete and Sportsperson of the Year for the North West Schools Sports Association.
"It's absolutely amazing. It's such a privilege to get that so really grateful," he said.
He is also grateful to his coach, his strength coach Hollie Webster, physio Simon Tydd and "most of all" his parents.
"Without them I simply wouldn't be able to do what I love to do. It's just so financially hard, like this year just traveling so much, and I just appreciate them so much," Williams said.
He was looking forward to having a bit of time off, but with the athletics season in full swing it will only be a short break.
There is a meet he is looking at in Brisbane at the end of January. The state juniors are then in February.
Williams isn't resting on his laurels knowing it doesn't matter what has happened in the past.
"It's great that I achieved what I did at this carnival, but at the end of the day you've got to put it behind you and keep training for the next race," he said.
He wasn't the only Tamworth athlete to bring home gold with Abbie Peet winning her under-15s girls para-athlete 100m, 200m and 800m.
Gunnedah's Isabella Sawyer meanwhile just missed the medals in the under-16s girls high jump, finishing fourth, while Tamworth's Evan Morrison, competing at his first nationals, was ninth in the under-14s boys 400m, just missing the final by one spot.
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