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Marathon runners say there is a point in every race when their minds and bodies begin working against them. Thoughts become too loud, feet become too sore, and the overwhelming impulse is to stop. It’s this moment that can make or break a person. Push through the pain and the reward is like nothing else.
That feeling of accomplishment, and that anything is possible, is what marathon legend Robert de Castella wants the 12 First Nations men and women running the New York City Marathon, as part of the Indigenous Marathon Project (IMP), to chase. Every step of the journey of the 2025 squad, led by ambassadors Johnathan Thurston from the NRL and the AFL’s Lance “Buddy” Franklin is captured in the uplifting documentary The Long Run.
“I want to showcase the strength, resilience and achievements of First Nations young people,” de Castella says. “That’s why the marathon is such a wonderful vehicle. To go from no running, to the biggest marathon in the world in just six months, is a wonderful demonstration of the capacity of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“And that fuels pride and self-worth. And when you believe in yourself, then you have courage to stand up and take on some of the big issues, and make a significant contribution to your community.”
What began in 2010 with an ABC documentary, Running to America, that took four Indigenous men from the Northern Territory to New York, to, as de Castella explains, “investigate whether Aboriginal men have that same long-distance running ability that the Africans have”, has grown into a much broader program. Other program ambassadors include Cathy Freeman, Olympic boxer Brad Hore and, this year, youth worker and reality TV star Brooke Blurton.
Since 2010, 167 First Nations people have graduated from the course that encompasses leadership, mental health, first aid, public speaking and media training. High-profile alumni include Torres Shire Council Mayor Elsie Seriat and Charlie Maher, the first Indigenous man to complete all seven major world marathons, who is now employed with the IMP.
Thurston, a decorated former NRL player, initially baulked at the prospect of running solo. He drew inspiration from the 2025 squad, a diverse group of people aged 18-30, comprising a Townsville DJ, a young man from Thursday Island, a mum from Karratha, a social media influencer from Darwin and a ranger from the Gulf of Carpentaria.
“They form a bond,” Thurston says. “It’s a safe space for them to open up and seek help. I’ve done a lot of hard things in my life, and played at the highest level, but running a marathon is one of the toughest things I’ve done, mentally and physically. I said to the squad, if they can do that, they can do anything they put their mind to. And there are some strong-minded people in that squad.”
Like the other runners, Thurston wrote his “why” on the back of his hand, for motivation. “Everyone has a purpose – something to keep reminding them when that little devil’s on the shoulder going, ‘Oh, just give up’. I had the initials of my kids and wife.”
De Castella says the buzz of New York, especially during this “42-kilometre street party”, can have an enormous impact. “It’s a crazy city,” he says. “New Yorkers are so engaged and involved and loud, and I want our team to feel that because it is often so different to how we, as Australians, deal with things.”
Thurston says the experience has made him “a better person”.
“[The IMP] is such a powerful organisation – the positive impact that it has on our communities and for our culture,” he says.
“I’m super proud of our squad members. Listening to their stories and the adversity that they’ve had to overcome. Some of them have hit rock bottom and through applying for the IMF and running the New York Marathon, they’ve turned their lives around. And they’re making a positive impact now in their communities.”
The Long Run premieres at 8pm on Sunday, June 28, on Nine, 9Now and Stan. (Nine is the owner of this masthead).
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