Twelve Indigenous Australians have just completed the world-famous New York marathon, thanks to a mentoring program run by Commonwealth Games legend Robert de Castella.

One year ago, the only running that WA participant 30-year-old Adrian Dodson-Shaw did was on a footy field.

But a call from De Castella's Indigenous marathon project marked a turning point in his life.

"To be given the news that I was successful was pretty special," Mr Dodson-Shaw said.

He took up running and lost 18 kilograms, training on Broome's famous Cable Beach — a stark contrast to the cold and windy conditions of New York.

"Basically I gave up drinking for over seven months and changed my thinking. It was good to stick to something and set a goal," he said.

De Castella says since he founded the project four years ago, 42 young Australians have made him immensely proud.

"It's an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous resilience and achievement," he said.

"It's an amazing journey. It's an incredible physical and emotional roller-coaster and challenge for them.

"If they can run a marathon in New York in five months then that translates to them being able to do pretty much anything they set their minds to.

"We talk about them being a rock that we drop in a pond and they're sending ripples out across their families and communities and across Australia."

Program participants had to complete several challenges, including a 30-kilometre run at Alice Springs, and finishing a Certificate 4 in leisure and health, before qualifying for the New York marathon.

Mr Dodson-Shaw said he participated in five camps through the program.

"The way you hold yourself through the year, and conduct yourself is really important," he said.

Mr Dodson-Shaw was WA's only entrant in the project this year and at 30, it was the father-of-two's last chance to get involved.

"Turning 30 in February, it was my last opportunity to give something a red-hot crack," he said.

His journey has not been without hurdles though.

Running the City to Surf in a sling

Mr Dodson-Shaw broke his collarbone playing football earlier this year and had to train with his arm in a sling.

"Two weeks after I did it, the doctors — cause I had City to Surf in Sydney — they said 'you're not going to run in it, there's no way'," he said.

"I ended up running in a sling and I ran the whole way."

Mr Dodson-Shaw says the icy and windy conditions on marathon day were a challenge, especially after training in the tropics.

"The conditions of the day... obviously it was very cold. We had cyclonic winds. It was like two degrees by the time we started," he said.

"The course, was tough. When you cross the line you actually cross it going uphill. It's not this dramatic sprint to the finish like most people think.

"After I rolled my ankle at 28 kilometres and it started swelling up... I started cramping there and everything was getting tight."

But he said it was all worth it.

"I shuffled and I didn't stop, just kept going and just to cross that line was the ultimate feeling of success because it's six months in the making what you've trained for," he said.

"When you finally realised that you've reached your dream, it's just a surreal feeling."

Mr Dodson-Shaw is hoping to use his experience to inspire other Kimberley locals to take on the challenge.

"Anyone can run. Running's so basic but setting goals has really been great for me," he said.

"A lot of people have a lot of potential, like all Indigenous people do. It's just what to do with it. And to have some direction and to have that mentoring.

"My experience it doesn't stop now. I'm a 2014 graduate and I feel like it's my obligation to spread the word about the Indigenous marathon project.

"It's such a great opportunity and you see so many things and at the end of the day you get an opportunity to go to New York and run a marathon."