Steady efforts can carry us towards big dreams! With determination in every step and her HACT family cheering her on, Dudu completed her first marathon over the weekend.
Hillcrest, South Africa (11 November 2026) – More and more South Africans have really been getting into running lately, and for some, the habit has become a way of life – much like it has for Dudu from the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust (HACT).
Over the weekend, she completed the Hope Marathon Durban, her very first marathon, covering a formidable distance of 42.2 km!
For Dudu, taking on a marathon meant setting herself a goal and putting in the work to achieve it. From researching nutrition and training plans to getting up for those early morning runs, she quickly learnt that there are no shortcuts to 42.2 km.
“Not gonna lie, it was hard! I questioned my life choices,” she laughs.
“But I never stopped moving.”
Along the way, one of her biggest takeaways was realising just how much a good support system matters.
“Your support system can help you, advise you, and cheer you on, but you have to do it,” Dudu says.
And she’s right. People in your corner make a difference, but when your legs get tired and the finish line still feels miles away, you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Through this journey, Dudu also discovered just how much consistency matters – that those small efforts, repeated day after day, really do add up.
Related Stories
Animal Welfare Society Races to Save Family Pets in Two Fire Disasters
Ottery Library Security Guard Steps Up to Share the Joy of Reading with Young PatronsHer family at HACT was overjoyed to see her follow this personal goal through from beginning to end.
“A HUGE congratulations from your HACT family! We’re incredibly proud of you, and we suspect this won’t be the last time we see you crossing a marathon finish line.”
Proudly wearing her medal, Dudu encourages everyone to run a marathon at least once in their lives.
For Dudu, that medal is a testament to all the early mornings, the small efforts that added up, and the people who cheered her on. With her HACT family sharing in her joy, she’s shown just how far you can go when you keep showing up and putting one foot in front of the other.
Sources: Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:
Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 
