Indigenous Marathon Project: Running as a Path to First Nations Health and Leadership

Since 2010, the Indigenous Marathon Foundation has selected a squad of twelve Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people aged 18-30 each year, training them to complete the TCS New York City Marathon while they earn nationally recognised qualifications in coaching, health promotion and public speaking. Graduates return to their communities to lead grassroots programs including I-CAN, an eight-week health and fitness program for remote schools, and IMF RAW, free running and walking groups aimed at normalizing daily physical activity and tackling chronic disease. The Foundation also runs the Warrior Project, a 12-month program using running and mentoring to support personal growth inside correctional centres. More than four in five graduates stay actively engaged with the Foundation after finishing the marathon, going on to mentor the next generation of runners.