After a "once in a lifetime" journey, Wiradjuri woman Hayley Pymont wants to use the achievement of crossing the finish line of the New York Marathon to chase down all six major world marathons and "create change" around mental health.
The 28-year-old, who grew up on Dharawal country, has celebrated completing the Indigenous Marathon Project [IMP] with a "return to community" event at Warilla near Wollongong.
The project was founded by Australian champion runner Robert de Castella who travelled to the Illawarra for the event.
"Hayley is graduate 127 and we have 132, and each and every one of them has had a graduating ceremony like this where I am privileged to see the impact each of the graduates has had on family, friends, and community," Mr de Castella said.
The six-month health, well-being, and leadership journey prepares the participants to run in the 42-kilometre New York Marathon.
"On this journey they transform, they sparkle and shine, and you see the very best of them come out, and their lives will never be the same," he said.
Ms Pymont told the "return to community" event she was at a turning point in her life when she applied.
"Honestly, back then I was a little bit lost in myself," she said.
"I'd been through some shitty moments in my life, so news I had been selected was kind of surreal."
Under the guidance of IMP head coach, Damian Tuck, Ms Pymont started training in April and joined previous graduates and members of the Dharawal Runners and Walkers group for support.
She carried an injury into the November marathon but managed to push through the pain as she ran through the five boroughs of the city to cross the finish line.
At the Warilla surf club, members of the Dharawal Runners and Walkers group conducted a smoking ceremony and celebrated her success.
"It was pretty crazy to relive it and process the year that I have been through," Ms Pymont said.
"It's been unique, special, but scary and daunting because it wasn't easy. It was a really hard both physically and emotionally."
As she entered the program, Ms Pymont said she also wanted to use the year to build awareness about the need for better mental health resilience.
"I also want to study mental health and bullying and go out into remote communities and ensure they receive the resources they need," she said.
She is also continuing her training.
"I am going after the six world [marathon] majors, so my next marathon is in Berlin in September," Ms Pymont said.
"I would like to be the first First Nations woman to run all six. I know a few of the other IMP graduates have run some already, so it is something I am going to work hard for."
Nothing more important
The four-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion, Mr de Castella said the IMP was the most important thing he had ever done.
"It is addressing something that I think is a huge challenge for us as a nation," he said.
"The spirit and the soul of so many of our First Nations people has been torn apart, and the treatment of many for generations has left a horrific scar.
"And we have to find a way to rebuild that sense of pride, self-worth, and self-belief, and the lead needs to come from our First Nations men and women and the next generation."
Mr de Castella founded the IMP in 2009.
"Australia has had lots of gold medallists, record holders, and sporting champions — but it is what we do afterwards and how we use that experience and platform that is most important," he said.
"Just as we tell these graduates the finish line in Central Park in New York after your marathon is just the starting line — it is the same for me.
"As an athlete I did great things, and I'm incredibly proud of what I did representing Australia. But if I just rest on my laurels and sit back and polish my medals, that would be a tragedy and I want to do more."
The selection process for IMP 2023 is underway with the squad to be announced in early April.
