Nick Willis' running career really took off in 2002 when he decided to take up an opportunity to attend the University of Michigan on an athletics scholarship and it's a move that has paid dividends.
Willis finished Hutt Valley High School in 2000 and the following year attended Victoria University in Wellington, worked part-time and continued to run.
However, it didn't go too smoothly for him as he found life becoming increasingly difficult to juggle with his lofty sporting goals getting in the way of some social engagements.
"Why was I putting myself through the struggle when here's this set up where you can study, you have coaches, the professors understand you have a athletic commitment so they adjust your timetables accordingly?
"You can take exams while you're on the road competing for example.
"After that semester [at Victoria University] I contacted a bunch of schools over in the United States," he told Sportal NZ.
Willis' flourished in the American University system which caters perfectly for someone interested in balance in life such as himself.
"Fortunately, through my results, I pretty much had the pick of Universities to choose from and I went to Michigan in August 2002.
"I loved every second of it when I got there because we had such a large amount of athletes who you're training with every day, you're having a good social time while you're training, they're the same kids you attend lectures with, you live together and eat together and most importantly you socialise together with the understanding that you've still got to get up and train in the morning.
"So you don't feel like you're alone when you're the one having to call it a night.
"I thrived in that environment. The whole culture there was to encourage you to strive for the highest. It was so refreshing to be in such an environment where everyone demanded a lot of each other," he said.
Willis remained at the University of Michigan for three years before turning professional, when he signed a deal with Reebok, which has looked after him for the last five years.
"They pay me a salary plus a bonus structure based on my performances and it's great. I'm able to travel the world, compete in the best races in the world, against the best in the world," he said.
"It just gives me peace of mind not having to worry about a nine-to-five job so I can simply focus on my training and put all my effort into achieving my goals.
"Even after I finished my time at University I decided to stay there and train in the environment which is healthy and caters to all my needs.
"I think kids can achieve their best anywhere in the world, but for me, in my position at the time, that was the best decision to make," he said.