How to Start Running When You Don't Feel Like a Runner | Tatiana Forbes

Tatiana Forbes started running postpartum in 2023, unable to run for more than 30 seconds. She joined us on The Runna Podcast after crossing the finish line of the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon.

This week, Anya Culling and Kayla Jeter sat down with runner, content creator, and founder of the Best for Last Run Club, Tatiana Forbes. The self-proclaimed 'slow runner' shares the struggle of being left behind at a run club, and not seeing herself in the runners around her.

This honest, inspiring conversation touches on pace, identity, body confidence, and what it really takes to call yourself a runner. If you've ever felt too slow, too late, or too different to belong in running - this episode is for you.

In this episode:
🏃‍♀️ The 30-Second Start: From postpartum walk-runs to half marathon finish lines
🚶‍♀️ Run/Walk Reframe: A legitimate race strategy, not a shortcut
💬 Left Behind: How one run club experience built something better
🧠 Watchless Racing: No GPS. One of her best races ever.
🪞 Runner Identity: You're a runner the moment you start

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⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 – "I'd been left behind at a run club — I had to GPS back to my car"
1:21 – Starting running postpartum in 2023 — 30 seconds at a time
2:45 – Not identifying with other runners — finding where you fit in
3:54 – How motherhood builds confidence for new challenges
4:39 – "Running never appealed to me" — and what finally changed
6:56 – Running for mental health: managing anxiety and finding headspace
9:34 – Run/walk as a beginner running strategy — not a shortcut
11:30 – "I was a runner the moment I started running"
13:11 – How sharing her journey online inspired others to start theirs
14:53 – Body confidence and representation in running
16:07 – Why she founded Best for Last Run Club for slower runners
19:51 – What races need to do to actually be inclusive
22:20 – Running the NYC Half without a watch — and hitting a personal best
31:56 – The comparison trap: "Should I be running faster by now?"
33:06 – "Running is and can be for everybody"