Marathon runners’ taste of the Big Apple

FAR North athletes Tj Cora and Maletta Seriat have spoken of the difficulties and excitement they endured to complete the New York City Marathon earlier this week.

Timothy Stephens, or Tj Cora, from Cairns, as part of the Indigenous Marathon Project said the first half of Monday’s marathon was a breeze and the second half a challenge.

“I’m so thankful it’s over,” Stephens said.

“It was just crazy, running through the New York bor- oughs, each one has a different vibe, everyone was cheering.

“I was cramping for a long time, probably the last 12kms. And then seeing the finish line I was so emotional, it’s such a huge sense of achievement. I’ll definitely run another marathon one day.”

Seriat, of Thursday Island, found the run even harder than she’d expected.

“I really wanted to stop at 35km,” Seriat said.

“I’d written messages on my arm to remind me to be strong – the names of my daughters, my mum and family, and a verse from the Bible.”

A total of 10 Indigenous Marathon Project runners proved their mettle in a field of more than 50,000 competitors.

The IMP is a program of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation, a not for profit foundation established by Rob de Castella, who said he was thrilled with the effort the 2017 squad had put in.