Rodele running for Goldilocks and the Bear Foundation

Hi all, my name is Rodele Naidu.  I am relatively new to running.  I have been running for about a year and half now.  I stumbled into running by default.  After a gym session one day, a Personal trainer standing in for my trainer challenged me to run around  the block in 8 minutes, can you believe it :-)   Needless to say it was damn hard as I had not been running prior to this. I could walk at a fast pace but I could not run!  Not one to back down , I challenged and pushed myself to run a minute here, a minute there.  I slowly over time built up my enudrance.  Running gives me such freedom!! It is my "me time".  To be able to run more than 10km has been a big accomplishment for me.  It is just something else I enjoy since the love for movement and exercise was rekindled in my life.   I am 43 years old. Running has also been my saving grace since being diagnosed with Rheuamatoid Arthritis a year ago, it keeps me motivated to keep mobile and keep my joints healthy.   I lead a relatively active lifestyle.  I certainly don't fit the image of what I think and i'm sure many others think a runner should look like.  I am here to break stereotypes of what a runner ought to look like.  People of all sizes and shapes can run given the correct training and preparation!! Completing a marathon will be a personal achievement for me on many levels including physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. I have committed to completing the 2 Oceans Half Marathon 2023.

My greatest desire though is to use my achievement to make an impact.  My eldest daughter who will soon be 12 years old was diagnosed in the 1st quarter of last year with ADD.  To think that she has been within the school system for so many years and only got diagnosed at age 11.  We knew there were gaps however we were not given a diagnosis until a very astute and observant Teacher recommended that we get more professional guidance, eventually we got a diagnosis.  Having a diagnosis has been such a relief.  She is now getting the care and support she needs.  We consider ourselves very fortunate and blessed to have access to services.   She is under the care of a wonderful Paediatrician who specializes in this field, an Educational Psychologist, her Team of Teachers at school are  supportive, we also have amazing support from our immediate Family.  I speak of my experience only, prior to the diagnosis, I would often label my daughter as stubborn, disinterested or sadly lazy.  When the diagnosis came, I carried a lot of “Mum guilt” for labelling my girl that way when she really had little control over how she handled situations, her emotions and some of her actions and habits.  Having the support she has received thus far including medicinal support has been life changing.  It has literally changed the course of her life not to say that it is all smooth sailing. It is far from that, it remains hard work, it is challenging,  it is demanding, some days I feel unsure however  what I do know is that if she did not have access to the support she has, she would still be struggling and so would we. This made me wonder , how many kids who donot have access to such services, go undiagnosed, labeled or worse ignored.   As part of my 2 Ocean Marathon Journey, I wish to raise funds to support an initiative that supports underprivileged kids with ADD/ADHD. I was delighted to have discovered The Goldilocks and the Bear Foundation.  Please partner with me to support a worthy cause. To help an underprivileged child get the right suppport and care to help unlock their true potential.  With thanks and appreciation, Rodele.