1) What I Talk About When I Talk about Running - Haruki Murakami

Beautifully written, sell-deprecating and funny memoir, capturing the struggles of an ageing runner.

2) Paula: My Story So Far - Paul Radcliffe

An honest recount of the hard journey behind Paula's ascent to become the world's fastest female marathoner.

3) Born to Run - Christopher McDougall

The fascinating tales within the tale make this book much more than the story of the genuine bare foot runners.

4) The Greatest: The Haile Gebrselassie Story - Haile Gebrselassie and Jim Denison

Gebrselassie is so much more than a legendary runner and this book explains why.

5) Sonia: My Story - Sonia O'Sullivan

Lonely but inspiring story of the struggle behind Sonia's Olympic Silver.

6) The First Four Minutes - Roger Bannister

Bannister defied conventional run training but still went on to break sporting history's greatest distance.

7) Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss - Dean Karnazes

Dean's book makes any runner want to have a go at an ultra.

8) Just a Little Run Around the World - Rosie Swale Pope

Rosie's lack of running background make this book an inspiration to non-runners.

9) The Perfect Distance Ovett & Coe - Pat Butcher

Relive Britain's glory years with Cram thrown in as well.

10) Run: The Mind-Body Method of Run by Feel - Matt Fitzgerald

Listening to your body is a better guide to running than heart monitors and Garmins, Matt explains why.

Co founder of Iffley Road, and a passionate runner and triathlete, Claire’s love of running is matched by a fascination with running related literature