DEADLY FUN RUN: In the shadow of Uluru, hundreds of people from across Australia gather together for the Deadly Fun Run Championships, lit by a dazzling purple and orange sunrise.

The run brings together Indigenous communities and supporters of all backgrounds, ages and running experiences.

Sisters under 10 years old from Groote Eylandt, off the tip of Northern territory. Three Aunties from Queensland’s Cherbourg, who took up walking for fitness in their sixties. A Deadly Running group from Adelaide making their first trip to Northern Territory. Runners that have graduated from the Indigenous Marathon Foundation and completed the world’s great marathons in New York, Boston and Tokyo. And four Olympians – boxer Brad Hore, swimmer Lara Davenport, hockey player Louise Dobson and basketballer Rachael Sporn.

Despite the subzero temperatures, there is a warmth shared between the runners – a connection that they’re sharing in a truly unique experience.

The group locks arms in a wide circle and are welcomed to the traditional land of the Anangu people, throwing the sacred red soil in the air to give safe passage and protection to the runners on their journey.

It’s a special moment for Hore, a boxer at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and proud Dunghutti man.

“Being out here at Uluru as an Indigenous Olympian means so much to me,” he said.

“We’ve got 26 Indigenous communities from across the nation meeting here in such a spiritual place. You can feel just how sacred this spot is.”

“Being able to run with the kids and hear their stories and what their dreams are is an amazing experience. We want to inspire them to keep pushing and following their dreams by sharing how we started and made it to the Olympics.”

The runners have two events on the day – a morning fun run and a relay run around Uluru itself in the afternoon.

The event is the centrepiece of Indigenous Marathon Foundations Deadly Runner’s program, established by Olympic marathon great Robert de Castella to use running to celebrate Indigenous resilience and achievement and create inspirational Indigenous leaders.

And inspiration and resilience are evident across the whole weekend. From runners linking arms to will each other up hills, to New York marathon finishers encouraging and running with people doing their first 5km. It’s seen in people who were strangers before the event coming together over a collective, special experience, sharing the stories of their communities and elders.

Hockeyroo Louise Dobson, who represented Australia at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics, was inspired by the community bond.

“At the Olympics you form a special bond with the team that you go with and I feel the same thing about this run,” she said. “Spending time with these communities really impacted me - everyone there now has a really strong connection because we shared in something so special and unique.

“We’ve played sport at an elite level but experiences like this make you remember where it all came from – getting back to the basics and just having a go, trying a sport or physical activity and being motivated by the people around you.”

The weekend is also about a lot more than running. Over dinner each night, the community members share stories on stage with the group. From the power running has to help people manage anxiety and help spur healthy decisions, to the challenges of addiction facing many communities. Three Cherbourg Aunties reveal how the walking group they started to improve their health has now become a weekly opportunity for them to share stories with young people in their community, who walk with the Aunties to learn about the community’s heritage.

At times funny, heart-wrenching, emotional and inspiring, it’s a testament to the power that taking on physical activity and sharing a goal can have.

“The weekend really helped break down barriers and let people open up,” Dobson said. “Hearing those raw, honest stories was incredible, and shows the power beyond the sporting field of getting a community together to chase down a goal. It puts things in perspective and makes you remember that everyone has things they’re going through, issues they’re facing.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to represent the country as Olympians, and it’s our time to give back to communities however we can. It’s really important to keep increasing the awareness of Australia’s Indigenous history, so everyone who wears the green and gold can help give back and contribute to bridging the gap.” 

Find out more about the Indigenous Marathon Project and Deadly Runners here.

Dominic Sullivan

olympics.com.au