The article presents a study aimed at identifying the features of self-awareness of runners for middle and long distances, depending on: a) the growth of sport qualification; b) gender differences. To obtain the data the standardized questionnaires were used, the filling of which involves a reflexive analysis indirectly characterizing the content features of self-awareness. The features of athletes' awareness of the emotional sphere, personal characteristics, attitude to themselves, as well as the reflexive abilities were measured. The statistical processing of the data revealed significant gender differences. Women of I–II athletic titles realize their own emotions better than men and more effectively cope with their emotional states, as well as have more expressed self-motivation and self-blame. Male athletes of the I–II grade have more expressed than women, awareness of the impressions they produce on others, as well as higher self-esteem. Women who have a CMS discharge understand the emotions of other people better than men. For MS / MSIC men, the ability to control their emotions is far superior to that of women. The correlation between the level of sportsmanship and a number of significant features of self-awareness has been revealed in women: a) the higher the level of sportsmanship, the lower the capacity for empathy, the awareness of other people’s emotions, and the integral level of emotional intelligence; b) the higher the level of sportsmanship, the higher the awareness of other people's attitudes towards oneself, and also the higher the capacity for conscious self-organization and consistency in the organization of actions. In men, only one significant correlation has been identified: the higher the level of sports skills, the higher the indicators of awareness and management of emotional states. At the same time, the obtained results may also indicate a lack of «sensitivity» of the questionnaires to the characteristics of the measured indicators in athletes.