Aunty Pam Pedersen OAM, 83, ready for the Melbourne Marathon ‘main stage’

Aunty Pam is used to many a main stage though as one of Yorta Yorta’s most prominent voices, dedicating much of her life to mentoring and community advocacy, with commitments to Victoria’s Koorie Court system and the Indigenous Marathon Foundation a couple of her regular contributions.

She’s also immersed into Australian rules football, notably Richmond Football Club, which shouldn’t be any surprise given her late father is Sir Douglas Nicholls, the Tongala export to Fitzroy in the VFL who became the first Indigenous Australian to represent Victoria in a state football team.

Sir Nicholls’ athleticism went beyond the football field though, boxing in the off-season but also a first-class sprinter.

Aunty Pam’s earliest memories of running are with her father.

“I started running when I was at school at Heidelberg High School, and I met up with some of the girls from the Heidelberg Women’s Athletics Club,” Aunty Pam said.

“Dad used to drive me to training because we trained twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then he’d take me to Royal Park on a Saturday.

“He followed me all around the place for running.”

But even Aunty Pam believes her father and mother, Lady Gladys Nicholls, would have been stunned to see her run such distances at her elderly age.

“They would feel so proud to see what I’m doing, mum and dad, they would have never thought that I would be doing long-distance running at this age,” she said.

Sponsored by the event’s major sponsor Nike, as well as the Indigenous Marathon Foundation, Aunty Pam is arguably one of the top runner’s to look out for on Saturday as an estimated 40,000 participate across all length events on October 10 and 11.

But she hopes her achievements on the pavement aren’t overlooked by the bigger picture of health and wellbeing for Yorta Yorta people, and for all Indigenous Australians.

“I get emotional because this is the only time I see all our people together running, and to see what they’ve achieved,” she said.

“To take part in an event like this is so exciting, and I hope that other Aboriginal people will start joining in as well.

“You can start off how I did, just start walking and then build into running.

“I really admire Rob De Castella who founded the IMF program, and I see how many people have gone through that program now and it’s wonderful.

“I feel proud that I am involved with them.”

For Aunty Pam, there is no secret to success for long distance running at old age.

Just stay consistent and “keep chugging along”.

“It’s important to look after yourself and try and stay healthy, either walk or run,” she said.

“At 83 now, more than ever I’m passionate about staying healthy, feeling fit and looking good for my age.

“In the lead-up to this event, I’ve run three times a week for the past eight, nine weeks.

“Six, eight, ten kilometres, just building it up.

“Now the concert is about to begin!”

The 10km event’s gun fires on Batman Avenue at 7am on Saturday, October 10, finishing over the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.