"Running to America" Documentary

Pebble321

To all the Aussie runners out there - I really hope you saw "Running to America" on the ABC last night. If not, keep an eye out for a repeat, it's a great watch.
And for everyone else, I wish this docco was online, I'll keep a look out for it and if it appears online I'll post a link.
EDIT: here's a link to the trailer. http://themarathonproject.com.au/?page_id=18

It's a fantastic story of 4 young indigenous men from very remote parts of Australia who trained for and ran the New York Marathon. The training was tough, they had injuries, one man lost a family member and missed a whole chunk of training, it was hard to get passports (due to limited documentation to prove identity for people born in a remote community), they had to acclimatise to the cold after living all their lives in hot central/northern Australia.....but they all finished the race.

I had goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes watching them cross the finish line.

This really was just what I needed to see - my half marathon training is starting to get longer and harder and hotter... if those men can beat the odds and run 42 km, I can definitely do 21km!!

Website: http://themarathonproject.com.au/

Info about the docco:

Running To America is a story of pure inspiration. Four young Indigenous men from the Australian outback are plucked from obscurity by marathon legend Robert de Castella to run the world's most famous race, the New York Marathon. He's convinced that Indigenous Australians have a natural talent for distance running - but have never been given the chance to excel.

The four men come from isolated communities in Arnhem Land, the Kimberley and the Central Desert. They are cut off from the everyday opportunities that modern youth take for granted. Now these young men are thrown into a brutal eight-month training regime to teach them how to run distance.

The team undergoes elite athletic training at the Australian Institute of Sport under the watchful eye of de Castella. They pound desert roads to get fit and they deal with a host of social problems that often beset Indigenous communities. The training takes place in isolated, but magnificent locations across Australia's harsh interior. The people and communities in these areas are often overlooked by mainstream society, and in a show of solidarity even the local police force has become involved by providing transport and logistics to help them achieve their goals.

Their grand ambitions finally play out on the streets of New York. Will the four runners even complete the race, let alone excel? Will they overcome the challenges in their lives and make it to the finish line?

Running To America is an uplifting story about dreams and ambitions.