mmg.com.au

St Mary’s Primary School teacher Brady Threlfall has started 2013 in great form, finishing fourth at the Cadbury Half Marathon in Hobart on Sunday.

Threlfall finished six seconds shy of a podium finish with a time of 67 minutes and 38 seconds, 18 seconds short of the personal best he set in the Gold Coast last year.

But the runner was unfazed, saying a mix-up by event organisers, which saw competitors run an extra 300m at the start, combined with the hilly terrain made for a good time.

Threlfall was one of 756 male and female entrants in the category and said he was pleased with his effort.

‘‘I was always working up and down hills and never had a chance to relax during the race,’’ he said.

‘‘It felt like a 66-and-a-half kind of effort, so I’m progressing towards the long-term plan.’’

Leading up to the event, Threlfall spent time at Falls Creek completing altitude training in 19°C weather as Echuca sweltered in the heat.

Looking forward, the 25-year-old will compete at the Victorian Country Athletics Championships in Geelong from January 26 to 28 and the 14km event at the Great Ocean Road Marathon in May.