Thinking of starting running? Here are seven things that might be holding you back (but shouldn’t)
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My name is Lucy and I am a runner. Trust me, no one is more shocked at that sentence than I am.
After trying the couch-to-5km app many times over the last decade (and never getting past Week 3) and having ‘run 5K’ as a New Year’s resolution for many (many!) years in a row, everything changed when I stumbled upon the Females in Training ACT (FIT ACT) Rookie Runners program last year.
But let’s rewind a bit. There are so many common fears women carry into exercise, especially when starting something new: fear of being the slowest, not knowing what to wear, and past negative experiences with exercise and movement.
These were the fears I felt. But what I realised – with the help of the program and a little bit of self-belief – is that the things holding me back could be transformed from obstacles to assets.
Here are seven things that might be holding you back from running (but shouldn’t) and how I learned they don’t have to.
“I can’t run!”
That’s okay, neither could I. But the magic of being a beginner is that you can learn good habits from the moment you start your journey. The Rookie Runners program I joined was for total beginners and as a coached program, showed me where to put my arms, how to move my feet, where to keep my eyes, how to warm-up and even how to cool-down afterwards. If you’re not planning to join a program, why not ask other runners you know to help you out with some tips? Whether they’re close friends or that nice person from the run-club you just joined, they’ll probably be happy to help.
“I’ll get puffed so quickly!”
Yes, you will, because you’re starting from scratch! It’s recommended for beginners that you start with short intervals of jogging and walking, paced to match your fitness. Increase your intervals in time as your fitness improves and don’t worry – it’s all in your head that there’s an expectation to be “fit” already.
“I will be the slowest”
No one is the slowest. The Rookie Runners program goes by time, not by distance, and many run clubs are more about having a chat than boosting Strava stats. No one will be waiting for you to reach the finish. No one will be timing you and run clubs always try to stay together as a tight group, even though everyone has different running paces. Unless, you know, it’s an actual race.
“I have lots of negative experiences with exercise!”
This is very common, and so many of us have associated exercise and movement with negative experiences including shame. Be that about the gym and feeling awkward or watched. Or high school sports and never being picked for a team. Or even our own internal critic, constantly berating us for starting things and never seeing them through. But the Rookie Runners program and other run clubs are different: you’ll find tonnes of non-judgemental support and camaraderie, and encouragement to keep you coming back (accountability without shame, which is the motivational sweet spot to stay consistent).
“Running is so uncomfortable!”
Trust me when I say that running can become addictive, and you’ll often see progress quickly. Joining a run club can reframe exercise from punishment to self-care, as a way to carve out time for yourself. And runner’s high is a real thing!
“I won’t know anyone!”
A run club is a community. You will meet amazing other people who are welcoming and encouraging and make new friends. It has all the magical ingredients of forming friendships as an adult (which can be tough for many of us to do). Things like distraction-free time together, being vulnerable, working towards a shared goal, sharing a common interest and sharing a hobby.
“I’m not a runner!”
If you look a little deeper – what does this actually mean to you? Is this actually code for ‘I can’t do hard things’ or ‘I don’t like my body in tight clothes’ or ‘I don’t stick to things’? The beauty of run clubs is that they create a safe space to challenge those beliefs, build trust in yourself, and experience competence without comparison or pressure. If you feel like you’re not a ‘runner’, maybe you just haven’t had the right support or systems yet.
I completed the Rookie Runners program in February 2025, building up to running 5K at the graduation run – the Canberra Times Marathon Festival in April. That was my first 5K.
If you’re ready to do this too, the Rookie Runners program starts on Tuesday 10 February, running on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings for nine weeks. You can register here.
If you’ve caught the running bug, here are nine other run clubs in Canberra, suitable for all needs and levels of fitness.
