MO GILLIGAN – I’m a Runner interview – Runner’s World, March 2026 issue
As a comic, running is not an alien experience. You’re alone on stage, you’re by yourself before you go on, you’re alone with your thoughts when you’re writing material. Then the goal is to do a job for an hour and come back feeling like: ‘I did what I needed to do.’ And of course when you do it over and over, you get better.
Growing up on an estate, if you didn’t play football, you’d feel left out. I took it seriously and played for a club, but I was also a realist in knowing that if it was going to happen for me [going pro], it would have happened a bit earlier.
What I valued most about football, more than the game, was the coming togetherness. You need to help each other to put up the nets. Someone’s gonna have to be the linesman. Someone’s got to get a bag and look for dog poo. I made friendships that massively shaped me.
I used to do running more for fitness. Now it’s just pure enjoyment. I stick with about 5k. I might just do a 2k and try to go fast. Wherever I am in the world, it’s my go-to. I haven’t joined a club or a crew. I prefer the freedom and release of running by myself.
If you live in south London, you’ve probably seen my dad out running. He loves, loves, loves it – he’s done marathons, he’s been to Ethiopia to run. He’s from St Lucia and he has dreadlocks and a shellsuit, so people definitely notice him if he runs past.
I don’t run for my creativity. It just makes me feel happy. I know people say it opens your mind up but for me, it’s more of an escape. I do get the endorphins and the dopamine. It’s a booster. If I do a run, I don’t need a coffee.
When I first started running, I thought you’re not allowed to walk. I’d be embarrassed to walk past someone in the park in case they thought I’d given up. Now if I get a little tired, I don’t mind walking a bit. It helps me to reset so I can go faster.
I like running in parks the most. I used to drive into central London to run in Hyde Park. It felt sort of like I was in a film, like when people run around Central Park in New York in a movie. Also it feels more like a track than if I just left my house and ran around there. Plus I like seeing the ducks.
I run with my Apple Watch and my phone but most importantly, good headphones. Music is the thing I need the most when I’m running. I put on playlists of 90s jungle, 2010s hip hop, speed garage, you name it.
I don’t really see the excitement in doing a marathon. I’ve got friends who say, ‘You should do it!’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know…’ I like running a section that might take me 12 minutes and seeing if I can get there in 10. Doing smaller bursts, like a 5k, always feels like enough. It’s quite fun, and then I want to do something else.
As a stand-up comic, I don’t think I have the same pressure about looks as some well-known people. Comics can be self-deprecating. If I put on a bit of weight I’ll just say, ‘Yeah, I’ve been eating good!’ I run because I like to stay fit and healthy for myself.
I sometimes get noticed, but I keep going. If someone says, ‘Mo! What you doing here?’ I’ll just say, ‘I’m running, can’t stop!’ I’m grateful I don’t have a catchphrase people can shout at me.
Mo Gilligan hosts the ‘Beginning, Middle & End’ podcast. His stand-up tour visits UK theatres until 13 March 2026
