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Indigenous runners overcome personal and physical challenges on their way to the New York Marathon

Two years ago Allirra Braun, 29, could not run even 100 metres.

At 107 kilograms her legs were physically incapable of running - her joints ached under her weight and she found it hard even to walk any real distance.

But her life changed after she watched her grandmother die of diabetes in January last year.

Ms Braun, a youth worker from Katherine in the Northern Territory, took up running and lost 32 kilograms.

"It was enormously hard," she said.

"I had muscles that hadn't been worked for years. And just engaging those muscles and using those walking and then running, and then in fitness classes, I was in extreme pain. It was the worst pain ever."

Ms Braun's father and other family members also have diabetes, and she knew that she too was on the same path, unless she did something radical.

At first she could only walk for short distances. But before long she was running several kilometres at a time. Now she is determined to run a full marathon.

"When I was 92 kilograms I went for a run, just a random run, and I ran six kilometres non-stop. It was hard. I was still very big back then. My joints hurt," she said.

"But I thought, 'if I can pump out six kilometre at 92 kilograms, then with the right training I would be able to do it' and of course I couldn't be obese. I had to have the right mentality.

"I've done a half marathon, I've done a 30-kilometre trial and nothing has compared to that pain that I experienced back then being overweight."

Tomorrow Ms Braun flies to the United States with nine other Indigenous runners to compete in the famous New York Marathon on November 2.

Most come from communities in remote or regional parts of Australia, including Alice Springs, Broome, Cairns and Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.

All have overcome enormous physical and personal challenges to prepare for the event. They have been sponsored by the Indigenous Marathon Project, set up in 2010 by Olympian Rob de Castella.

"Trying to run a marathon in less than six months from no running at all - so from zero to a full 42-kilometre marathon - is a huge physical challenge," he said.

"And for them to do it in their regional and remote communities where there are no real running clubs, and they don't have the network of support, and Indigenous role models. So the physical challenge of just getting the mileage in their legs and getting their bodies ready to run 42km is huge".

'A lot of them have completely changed their life'

Since the project began 32 runners have completed the marathon in New York. But the biggest challenges are more than physical.

"A lot of them have completely changed their life," Mr de Castella said.

"A number of them had been smokers before so they've quit smoking. Quite a few of them were heavy drinkers. So for them they have completely changed their behaviours. And a lot of them have lost friends because of it.

"But I think that they're forging a new path and this is a really important path for Indigenous Australia and I think for all Australia."

Adrian Dodson-Shaw, 30, took up serious running only seven months ago. A health worker from Broome in Western Australia, he lost 17 kilograms in the process and gave up alcohol altogether.

"Like every young person you come to a weekend and you go out and you binge, that's the culture I suppose, amongst a lot of young people, not only Indigenous, but just among all people," he said.

"I just got sick of it and wanted to try something different, and I've got kids so I wanted my boys to be proud of their dad for doing something positive."

Mr Dodson-Shaw said in the end it was not hard to give up his former lifestyle.

"One day I said, it's my last year in terms of the cut off age for this project. I'll give it a go. I've got nothing to lose. And since I've done it, I'm a changed person," he said.

However, he said he has no illusions about the challenge ahead but he is determined to finish the 42-kilometre course on Sunday.

"It's going to hurt no doubt. But that's the beauty of it. Everyone would be doing it if it was easy," he said.

"I can go home and say I've run the New York Marathon, and show my community and lead by example. And inspire maybe some other kids in the Kimberley who have aspirations of doing a marathon."

Runners' inspire local communities

Since it began in 2010 the Indigenous Marathon Project has had a significant and overwhelmingly positive impact on the communities of those runners who have taken part, Mr de Castella said.

"We're seeing increasing levels of physical activity," he said.

"We're seeing little running clubs starting to spring up in some of these communities. We're seeing kids come out and participate in three-kilometre and five-kilometre runs.

"These guys are going into the schools, they're going out into the communities, into the workplaces, talking about their experiences and just showing what's possible."

Ms Braun said since she began running last year she had seen a huge rise in the number of Indigenous people - especially women - running in Katherine.

"I go for my runs or I drive to work and I see Indigenous women running and walking, and my heart just swells with pride," she said.

"My husband says to me, look there are so many more women running because of you. You're inspiring them".

Team-mate Elsie Seriat, 29, said her goal in running the marathon is to inspire change in her own community on Thursday Island, in the Torres Strait.

"Our Indigenous health status is so high up there with diabetes and renal failure," she said.

"If I can be in the community and they can see it, what better way of passing on the message about a healthy way of living."

Mr de Castella said the biggest changes though are in runners themselves.

"I've seen massive physical changes," he said.

"But the big thing I've seen is that when we first met them a lot of them struggled to make eye contact. A lot of them had their shoulders hunched over."

"Now they are strong, they are proud. They have self belief. They're really courageous and brave young Indigenous men and women.

"And it's that change in their stature that I think is just a wonderful thing to see."