New-found love of running takes SA man all the way to New York Marathon

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A running team will participate in the New York Marathon this weekend, as part of a project run by the Indigenous Marathon Foundation. Jack Atkinson only took up running six months ago, but has been selected for the 12-person team against 320 applicants.

Transcript

00:00From training on the beaches of South Australia,

00:05Jack Atkinson's passion for running has taken him far from home.

00:09I pretty much started from no running experience to now I can just run without stopping.

00:18Six months ago the 28 year old began the gruelling training for the New York Marathon.

00:24Selected from hundreds of competitors,

00:26he landed the elusive spot on the 12 person indigenous marathon team.

00:31I've overcome some stuff in my past like addiction and stuff like that,

00:37so I really wanted to set some goals for myself to move forward in life.

00:42But he hasn't been running alone.

00:44Joining him at the start line will be sporting greats Jonathan Thurston and Buddy Franklin.

00:50It's very empowering to have them two guys around the squad

00:55and you know they're really down to earth.

00:57Having Buddy and JT there almost as an additional resource for squad members to yarn with

01:02but also just to chat through the struggles of training for something like a marathon.

01:07Head coach Jack Stephens says the marathon program,

01:10which is now in its 16th year, is about more than creating athletes.

01:15We identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders from across the country

01:19that are willing to make a difference and Jack is a key individual

01:22that is there already making a difference in his local community.

01:26I have a 19 month old daughter and when I get to them hard points in my runs,

01:32I think of her and that really propels me forward.

01:36I want to see my daughter, see me do great things.

01:40No shortage of motivation to cross the finish line this weekend.

01:44I want to see my daughter, see you later.

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