I was diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago and it rewrote my whole life story. Everything finally fell into place.

"ADHD wasn't what I thought it was" YouTube Short.

The lifelong overthinking and anxiety. Not being able to plan or make life decisions. The cycles of intense activity followed by social withdrawal and depression. The pattern of my whole life.

I was "successful." Materially anyway. But never happy. Always on the go. Relentlessly pushing myself and not able to stop or enjoy my achievements. Never able to be present or connect with myself or others.

ADHD is much more than attention deficit or hyperactivity. It's a nervous system that is easily overwhelmed. Caused by genetic and environmental factors which permanently change brain structure and chemistry resulting in a lifelong dip in dopamine.

That means constantly having to seek novelty, reward or stimulation. Living trapped between cycles of hyperfocus and chasing or hypervigilance, everything feeling like a threat, all decisions paralysing.

It means being unable to focus, make life decisions or handle strong emotions. Being extremely sensitive to rejection and failure. Easily dysregulated into fight or flight.

Unable to connect even to myself. Not able to know who I was or what I wanted.

That's what ADHD is.

It's also the coping mechanisms and stories I told myself to work around it before I knew what it was. The avoidance and missed opportunities. The anger, sadness, guilt, shame and regret.

It left me stuck and going around in circles.

There are others far less fortunate.

Which is why I want to raise awareness of what ADHD really is and how it can limit lives. People stuck, misunderstood, isolated or worse.

20 years ago my dad died alone in his tiny council flat. He was 54. He clearly had ADHD.

I was ashamed of him for most of my life. It is his 74th birthday three days after this race. So I'm running for him and the countless others out there.

It's been there my whole life whether I knew it or not. It's a part of who I am.

I've become an ambassador with ADHD UK to help raise awareness.

It affects 4-5% people. That's around 1 in 20.

80% are undiagnosed in the UK. 2 million people.