Territorian in Big Apple
IT’S a long way from the Territory to the New York marathon but Indigenous runner Roy Tilmouth says the opportunity to inspire his people has driven him the whole way.
He is one of a group of Indigenous Australians planning to participate in this weekend’s marathon who say the terror attack in Manhattan will not deter them from the race.
Indigenous Marathon Foundation director Rob de Castella said the squad never considered pulling out.
“Absolutely not – I refuse to change my way of life and my aspirations and dreams based on what some radical, ratbag people do because once you start doing that, then terrorism wins,” he said.
The IMF project turns Indigenous Australians from beginners to marathon runners within six months in an effort to promote a healthy lifestyle.
“Most of them have done no running and they’ve gone from struggling to run 3km or 5km to six months later run- ning 42km non-stop,” he said. Participants also have to complete an education component, which this year featured an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and First Aid course.
De Castella said the runners had experienced profound transformations as a result of the program.
“They realise that it has to start with them so this experience transforms them and makes them realise they are strong and that they have the capacity to drive change and address those issues they want stopped,” he said. Speaking in Central Park before a practice run, program participant Roy Tilmouth said the IMF running project had inspired him to be a positive role model for his community in Alice Springs.
“The running has given me a lot of discipline,” he said. “The main reason why I joined the squad was to be a positive role model for my family and for my community.
“People see me doing this and hopefully it gets them on the right; if you put in hard work you get rewarded for it.”