Two of Australia’s most recognisable champions, Lance “Buddy” Franklin and Johnathan Thurston, step into a new arena in The Long Run, mentoring 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women as they train for their first ever marathon in a story that goes far beyond sport.

Premiering Sunday, June 28, at 8PM on Channel 9, 9Now and Stan, The Long Run follows the 2025 Indigenous Marathon Project squad across six life-changing months, from the red dirt of Alice Springs to the world stage at the TCS New York City Marathon.

The fly-on-the-wall documentary captures the physical and emotional highs and lows of a challenge that becomes about far more than running, exploring courage, culture, identity and the power of taking on something bigger than yourself.

At the heart of the film is the Indigenous Marathon Project, founded by Australian marathon legend Rob de Castella AO MBE, which has spent the past 16 years using running as a vehicle for health, leadership, resilience and community impact.

For Franklin and Thurston, two champions who built their careers under the pressure of stadium lights, The Long Run offers a rare and deeply personal look at life beyond elite sport. As ambassadors and mentors of the program, the pair form powerful bonds with the squad while reflecting on their own post-retirement journeys.

For the 12 runners, many of whom begin as non-runners, the marathon becomes a transformative test of endurance, identity and purpose. Across the documentary, audiences are invited into stories of cultural pride, personal growth, family, resilience and the determination to create a ripple effect far beyond the finish line.

The Long Run showcases the power of choosing to do hard things, the role of sport in driving community good, and the beauty, strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

Buddy said: “Being part of this journey was incredibly special. Seeing the squad push themselves, and carry such pride for their families, communities, and culture, is something I will never forget. This documentary is about much more than running. It is about courage, self-belief, and what is possible when people take on something bigger than themselves. Above all, honouring the profound sacrifices of time away from family that made those achievements possible.”

Johnathan Thurston said: “Taking on this journey with the squad was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve ever done. Hearing their stories, understanding what it took for them to get to the start line, and seeing the sacrifices they made along the way was incredibly humbling. I have so much respect for the Indigenous Marathon Foundation. They are genuinely changing lives.”

Robert de Castella said: “The Long Run explores leadership, health, identity, and family through the lens of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation, demonstrating how choosing the ‘hard’ can inspire real and lasting impact in people and communities, while celebrating the strength and resilience of First Nations people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as Australia’s greatest national treasure. This is a legacy and message I feel deeply about.”

Through intimate access, breathtaking visuals and deeply human storytelling, The Long Run follows a group of extraordinary Australians as they discover that the finish line is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of something much bigger.

THE LONG RUN PREMIERES SUNDAY, JUNE 28, AT 8PM ON CHANNEL 9, 9NOW AND STAN.

The Long Run is a Nine documentary produced in association with Nine’s Wide World of Sports and Good Shout, with the support of the ACT Government and Screen Canberra, ASICS, TCS Tata Consultancy Services and Kia.

Tuesday 16 June, 2026