ABORIGINAL MARATHON RUNNER COMPLETES HER FOURTH WORLD MAJOR IN LONDON

BY CHEZ COULTHARD

Natasha Leslie recently completed the London Marathon. Credit: Facebook, the Indigenous Marathon Foundation.

Whether you are a seasoned jogger who wants to work towards a new goal or a novice runner who is inspired by a friend's accomplishment of winning a race, there are many personal reasons why you would want to train for and run in a marathon.

First Nations Worimi Gumminpingal woman and mother Natasha Leslie, who is from Karuah, New South Wales and now lives in Karratha, recently returned from the London Marathon, the fourth world major race she’s completed.

Ms Leslie completed the 42.2 kilometre race in 4 hours, 36 minutes and 48 seconds.

Ms Leslie is a graduate of Rob de Castello’s Indigenous Marathon Project. In 2017, she and 11 other squad participants trained for six months to complete the New York Marathon.

The more recent London Marathon didn’t come easy, and Ms Leslie said there were numerous challenges she had to overcome.

“During the race, at about 25 kilometres, I kind of hit the wall and [felt pain in] my hips and my soccer arthritis in my spine as well,” she said.

“So my body was just stiff and sore, but I started something and I had to finish it.

I had a really disrupted preparation beforehand. I got really sick and was hospitalized for a few days, so that kind of stuffed up my training, but considering that I was coming back from having a baby and didn't have the best training sessions beforehand, I didn't do too bad.”

Ngaarda Media caught up with Ms Leslie to hear her shed some light on the International Marathon Scene through her Indigenous eyes.