If running has ever felt out of reach – or like something “not meant for you” – this episode is worth your time. Ben and Anya sit down with journalist, bestselling author, and mental health advocate Bryony Gordon to talk about how running entered her life during one of its darkest chapters - and why it became a turning point rather than a cure-all.
Bryony didn’t grow up loving sport. While battling intrusive thoughts, OCD, and alcoholism, she went for a run simply to escape her own head. No kit, no plan, no idea what she was doing – just a need to survive the moment.
What followed wasn’t a neat transformation story. From a chance conversation with the Princess of Wales that led to her first London Marathon, to running it in her underwear to challenge body stigma, Bryony’s journey reframes what running can be – especially when mental health is part of the picture.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why running didn’t feel like something “for" Bryony – until this all changed
How running became a way to regulate her mental health, not punish her body
What marathon training revealed about addiction, recovery, and resilience
The barriers of pace, size, and finish times in stopping people from starting
How visibility and representation can quietly change who feels welcome in running
“I didn’t think running was for someone like me… a size 18… a little bit older. I was always worried about my pace, but actually what I found a really inclusive community,"Bryony says.
Running as Survival, Not Self-Improvement
One of the biggest ideas Bryony challenges is the belief that exercise is about becoming better, thinner, or more disciplined.
For her, running started as a way to interrupt intrusive thoughts – something hard enough to pull her out of her head and into her body. Over time, it became a structure she could rely on when everything else felt unstable.
“No one ever wants to go for a run, but no one ever regrets going for one. For me, running helps regulate my brain and stop the chatter in my head".
This episode doesn’t suggest running “fixes” mental illness. Instead, it explores how movement can sit alongside recovery – offering moments of clarity, self-trust, and calm.
Learning to Show Up for Yourself
Bryony reflects on how training for her first marathon didn’t magically stop her drinking – but it did reveal a different way of living.
Running became proof that she could do difficult things, even when her brain told her she couldn’t. That belief later helped her take herself to rehab and rebuild her life, step by step.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the hardest part isn’t the run – it’s choosing yourself in the first place.
Redefining Who Running Is For
There’s a moment where Bryony talks about why being at the back of the pack might be harder than being at the front - and why those runners deserve just as much celebration.
Another where she dismantles the obsession with times and “looking like a runner”, and explains how that mindset keeps so many people from ever starting.
Her message is simple, but powerful: if you have a body, you belong in running.
For me, it’s not about being the fastest, the quickest, the strongest," Byrony says, "It’s about being the happiest. Put all of that stuff about time and comparing yourself to other people out of the window."
Watch or Listen to the Full Episode
Hear the full conversation with Bryony Gordon on The Runna Podcast, covering mental health, recovery, body confidence, and what running can offer when life feels overwhelming.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Watch on YouTube.