The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

A gritty kitchen-sink drama about a working-class rebel in borstal who uses running as both escape and defiance, ultimately confronting the futility of institutional compromise.

A rebellious youth, sentenced to a boy’s reformatory for robbing a bakery, rises through the ranks of the institution by impressing its Governor through his prowess as a long distance runner. He is encouraged to compete in an upcoming race, but faces ridicule from his peers.