Sir Mo Farah on Friendships, Loneliness and Retirement: ‘When I Run, I’m Happy’

‘One of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen,’ is how Sir Mo Farah was described on the day of his final competitive race, by the BBC’s Steve Cram. That was 14 months ago, when the quadruple Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion bowed out at the Great North Run. 

In order to become the best, Farah trained. Hard. He ran 120 miles a week, kept up with all the other commitments that come with being a world-renowned athlete, and held down a busy family life as a father-of-four. As he racked up records and titles he became a national hero, with the weight of expectations growing heavier on his shoulders. He came out the other side surprisingly well, but admits that sometimes, it wasn’t easy.

‘Often, being an athlete is about competing and winning medals, but in order to win you have to go through so many different things,’ he tells Men’s Health. ‘Maybe training hasn’t gone well, maybe you’ve got an injury. And if you don’t have the right people in your life who can help you get through that...’ 

Did he ever get lonely? ‘So many times,’ he says. But throughout his career, he found that the cure to loneliness is connection. Peers became great friends – in particular Adam Clarke, who he trained closely with over the years. While running with Clarke and others, ‘we would talk about everything’, Farah says, about ‘whatever is on your mind, if they’re struggling, if things aren’t going well, if the pressure’s getting to them. We’d talk about football, we’d share things. We had no filter. And for me, that’s the beauty of friendship. We could talk about anything.’

Social relationships are crucial for good mental health. But sometimes life gets in the way. Responsibilities take priority over catching up with friends, and as the distance grows it becomes more difficult to reach out. It happens to the best of us, which is why Farah has teamed up with Movember and L’Oréal Men Expert for a new campaign.

Farah and L’Oréal want men to follow in his nimble footsteps: to use running as a space for connection, ‘to face loneliness together’.

Courtesy of L’Oreal

It’s not always easy to talk about how you’re feeling. ‘Often we think it’s not OK,’ Farah says. ‘You think you can’t talk about it because you’re strong, you’re a man. But we’re all human, right?’ Doing something physical, like running, can take the pressure off and help conversation to flow. If nothing else, it’s usually much easier to arrange a run than a trip to the pub.

‘It’s not complicated, there’s no pressure,’ Farah continues. ‘You can just go out, connect, have a conversation in person. Dig a little deeper. Sometimes, it’s just: “How’s your day? Did you watch the football?” Often the hardest thing is taking that first step.’

Just before our interview, Farah took part in the opening and closing legs of 44km relay run to promote the L’Oreal and Movember campaign, which continues beyond the month of November. ‘It was about being able to share, to connect, getting to know people. I really enjoyed it,’ he says, adding that it was also a nice opportunity to run without the pressure of competition, something he has embraced since retirement.

‘I do miss competing,’ he admits. ‘I miss putting myself out there and I miss winning medals for my country. But at the same time, I don’t miss doing 120 miles a week. I’ll always be a runner, for my mental health. Now I enjoy time spent running with my kids. When I run, I feel free, I feel happy. That’s the one place I can be myself.’