The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner 1430043 224271029 2008-07-08T02:31:24Z 207.181.224.103 {{split}} '''''The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner''''' is a story by the British writer [[Alan Sillitoe]] published in [[1958 in literature|1958]], and it is contained in a collection of short stories published under the same title. In the film, which is based on the book's title story, an impoverished [[Nottingham]] teenager has few prospects in life and enjoys few pursuits beyond committing petty crimes. His home life is dismal as well. Caught for robbing a bakery, Colin is confined in a [[borstal]], or prison for delinquent youth. He seeks solace in long distance running, attracting the notice of the school's authorities, but, during an important cross-country meet which he is winning, he stops running just short of the finish line to defy his captors. It was subsequently adapted into a [[The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (film)|film of the same name]]. ==Musical Adaptations== *The British [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] group [[Iron Maiden]] adapted the short story into the song of the same name on their ''[[Somewhere in Time (album)|Somewhere in Time]]'' album. *British [[Oi!]] and [[Punk rock|punk]] band [[The Angelic Upstarts]] included a song of the same name on their [[Reason Why?]] album. *Scottish [[Rock music|rock]] group [[Belle and Sebastian]], adapted the title for the song "Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner" on their 2001 EP, [[Jonathan David]]. *American band [[Ruxton Towers]] takes its name from the film, in which a reformatory school has the same name. *Washington D.C. punk band [[Fugazi]] have a song entitled "Long Distance Runner" on their fourth LP, [[Red Medicine]]. {{DEFAULTSORT:Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, The}} [[Category:1958 novels]] [[ru:Одиночество бегуна на длинные дистанции (фильм)]]