Andy Devaney
For some people, running into a new year with a shiny new training plan feels electric. For others, running sits in the same drawer as tax returns and dentist appointments: necessary, vaguely terrifying, and best avoided until absolutely unavoidable.
Fear of being out of shape, starting over, or being judged in a gym or out on the pavement can stop people before they’ve even laced a trainer. So this year, instead of another smug “new year, new me” slogan, True Protein went to someone who knows what starting from zero really looks like: a four-time Olympian and new mum who has had to rebuild her body, her confidence and her sanity more times than she’d care to count.
“I’ve had to start from scratch more times than I can count, and that’s okay.”
This is not someone who discovered running last Tuesday. She started at seven years old in Little Athletics, the sort of kid who looked more at home on a track than most of us do on our own sofas. And yet, even as an elite athlete, she’s been forced back to square one, again and again, thanks to injuries, long spells of rehab and the small matter of pregnancy.
At the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, the women’s 3000m steeplechase final ended not with a lap of honour but with a ruptured Achilles tendon and a stretcher – the kind of plot twist that would make most people swear off spikes for life. Instead, it gave her a hard-earned understanding of what it feels like to be right at the beginning.
“There isn’t a time I remember not running. I knew from early on that running made me feel strong, physically and mentally. But even now, I’ve had to start from zero after injuries and pregnancies, and that experience has given me a lot of empathy for people just starting their own fitness journey.”
“If you can run even for 10 seconds, you’re a runner”
If you’ve ever decided you’re “not a runner” because you don’t look like the people on Instagram, she’s coming for that excuse first.
“If you can run even for 10 seconds, you’re a runner.”
Simple, almost annoyingly so. But she’s not finished.
“I think people overcomplicate it. If you can run even for 10 seconds, you’re a runner; how good just depends on the effort you want to put into it. You don’t have to look like a runner or run every day. What matters is showing up.”
Forget the curated 10K selfies and the carbon-plated shoes that cost as much as a long weekend away. Her point is blunt: if your feet left the ground in something resembling a jog, you’re in the club. Running is not a look; it’s an action.
The comparison trap: even the pros fall into it
Of course, knowing that in your head and actually believing it are two very different things. That’s where social media works its dark magic.
“Comparing yourself to others is such a rookie mistake; it’s so easy to do, especially with social media. It’s great for inspiration, but it can also make you feel like you’re not doing enough. The truth is, everyone’s running journey looks different, and that’s what makes it special.”
This from someone who has literally lined up against the best in the world. If she can say comparison is a mug’s game, the rest of us can probably stop benchmarking our Couch to 5K pace against someone else’s marathon PB.
Your job isn’t to “catch up” with anyone. Your job is to keep turning up.
“I remind myself I GET to run, not that I have to”
Here’s the bit they don’t show you in slow-motion Olympic montages: even after four Games, the pressure can sit on your chest like a sandbag. Nerves, self-doubt, the fear of failing again – they don’t vanish just because you own a national vest.
Her way through it is as much mental as physical.
“I remind myself I GET to run, not that I have to.”
That one line is a mindset reset you can steal immediately.
“I try to simplify everything. If I’ve done the work, then I can trust the outcome. I remind myself I get to run, it’s something I’m lucky to be able to do. When you focus on gratitude, the nerves start to fade, and confidence takes their place.”
You don’t need an Olympic qualifying time to use that logic. Whether you’re walking into a gym for the first time, shuffling through your first parkrun or eyeing up a 5K that currently feels like Everest, flipping “I have to” into “I get to” changes the weight of the whole thing.
Turning big goals into tiny, winnable ones
Here’s another unpopular truth about running: motivation is wildly overrated. The people who actually make progress aren’t the ones who wake up desperate to sweat; they’re the ones who’ve built small, boring, repeatable habits.
For her, that starts with shrinking the target.
“Setting small, achievable goals makes running more enjoyable. Instead of focusing on the end result, celebrate the little wins, a slightly longer distance, an easier pace, or just getting out the door.”
You don’t master running overnight; you accumulate it, ten seconds at a time, one extra lamppost at a time, one more week of showing up than you managed last month.
“When you start celebrating the small things, you stay motivated. It becomes something you look forward to, not something you dread.”
Fuel, recovery and the unsexy stuff that actually works
If you think progress is all about heroic intervals and suffering in silence, she’s happy to disappoint you. The real heroes are your plate, your protein and your pillow.
“Fueling is so important, and for many years I think people underestimated how much it impacts performance and prevents injury. Don’t run on an empty stomach. Your body needs energy to move, and after a run, you’ve got about a 30-minute window to get protein in and start repairing muscle. True Protein’s whey protein powder is perfect for quick protein intake. That small habit makes a massive difference.”
Recovery days, decent nutrition, and enough sleep aren’t signs that you’re going soft. They’re how you stop your body from filing a formal complaint after three weeks and quitting on you. For beginners especially, this isn’t optional; it’s the entire point. Running should build you up, not break you down.
“Accountability changes everything”
Even Olympians wake up some days and don’t want to run. The difference is they don’t rely on sheer willpower to get out of the door.
“There will be days you don’t want to run, having someone rely on you helps you show up.”
So if your solo attempts keep dying on a rainy Tuesday, change the system.
“When you’re new, motivation can fluctuate. I always tell people: find a friend or family member to train with. Accountability changes everything, you’ll push through days you would have skipped on your own, and it becomes something social, not stressful.”
A friend, a club, a group chat, even an online community – it all counts. Running is a lot less intimidating when someone’s waiting for you at the park gate.
“Remember that you’re already doing enough by simply starting”
Strip everything else away – the fancy gear, the training plans, the finish-line photos – and her message to anyone starting their running journey this New Year is disarmingly simple.
“Whether you’re running to get faster, to feel healthier, or just to clear your mind, remember that you’re already doing enough by starting. Be kind to yourself, stay consistent, and enjoy the process. Running can change your life, it certainly changed mine.”
You don’t need to be satisfied with where you are now. You just need to accept that this is where you’re starting from. Every step forward, however slow or scrappy, is still a step forward.
Her advice is blunt but generous: don’t wait until you feel ready, because you won’t. Start where you are, with what you’ve got.
Expert Tips for Beginner Runners
Start small
Break your runs into intervals; it’s less intimidating and steadily builds endurance.
Fuel properly
Never run on an empty stomach and have protein within 30 minutes post-run to help repair muscles.
Find your people
A friend, a group, or even an online community can help keep you accountable when motivation fades.
Avoid comparison
Your journey is your own; don’t measure it against someone else’s highlight reel.
Celebrate every step
Every run counts, no matter the pace or distance. Showing up is the real win.
Flip the mindset
Don’t think “I have to run”, think “I get to run.”
Be patient
Progress comes with time; in running, consistency will always beat perfection.
