Olympic 1500m silver and bronze medallist Nick Willis is in the middle of a month-long training camp based in Lake Hawea.
Even when Willis is pushing himself up the side of a mountain overlooking Lake Hawea or Lake Wanaka during one of his long training runs, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are not far from his thoughts.
''It's always at the back of your mind but normally you take it year by year ... It's definitely on the horizon and it's what motivated me to commit to it again.''
Between now and then there a number of marquee events, including the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and the World Athletic Championships in London later this year.
''The races I have in a few months' time in the northern hemisphere are my focus at the moment. You're always aware of what else is coming up.''
The 33-year-old, who is already the oldest medallist in the history of the 1500m event, will be 37 by the time Tokyo rolls around.
There have been some suggestions Willis move to the 5000m event but for now his focus is firmly on the mile race.
''The focus at the moment is 1500m, but there are also some 5000m events we are looking at. But it's about taking it step by step and seeing where I am with my running and fitness.''
Willis and his training group, which includes fellow New Zealand Olympian Hamish Carson, are clocking up to 150km a week.
His time in the Upper Clutha will be used to build his base fitness back up after taking time off following the Olympics.
He has been coming to the area to train for the past five years.
''It's a wonderful place to build the base mileage on all of the different trails which have been developed around here. It's my favourite place to train.''
In between training, Willis and his wife, Sierra, and their son, Lachlan, have been able take time to relax and see the sights.
''We've just been relaxing most of all sitting down on the beach by Lake Hawea skipping stones ... we've been out to the Blue Pools but mainly we've been keeping low having a few barbecues and resting.''
The Willises have also been busy launching a new business called Miler Method, which is a six-week online ''boot camp'' that helps people train to run the 1500m.
He hopes it encourages people to start running shorter, more compact running events.
''It's a way to energise people's running experience.''
