The Loneliness of the Long Run: Turning Solitude Into Strength

In this episode of Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr podcast, Coach G explores a side of running that doesn’t get talked about enough: the loneliness of long runs. We all imagine dreamy, cinematic miles filled with endorphins and flow but the reality is often different. Sometimes running alone feel endless, quiet, and isolating, leaving you with nothing but your thoughts.

But here’s the good news: loneliness isn’t a problem to solve, it’s a mental training ground. Coach G shares how these moments can become powerful opportunities to build mental resilience, practice race-day strategies, and truly learn about yourself as a runner. She offers practical ways to reframe the experience like making friends with your thoughts or dedicating each kilometer to someone you love.

Listen to the episode right here, and then read on for some great journal prompts. These will inspire you to transform mental monotony into purpose. And why not check out the Runner Mindset Workshop recording at the end of this blog. This will help you understand – and update – what you are telling yourself about you as a runner.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a running friend who needs encouragement, and don’t forget to subscribe to Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr podcast for more running mindset tips so that you don’t miss an episode.
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Running Alone: Journal Prompts

Here are some powerful journal prompts. These will help you embrace running alone, and use it to prepare for the real mental battles on race day:

• When I feel alone on a run, what thoughts or stories come up for me? And these stories, are they true or real?
• What can I do to turn my next long run into a rehearsal instead of a test?
• What would it look like to bring curiosity – not judgment – to my long runs?

After you’ve used these prompts to delve deeper, come over to the Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr community to continue the conversation.

Here is a fantastic and free Runner Mindset Workshop to help you reclaim your runner story and spot the mindset stories that are holding you back.