Books

I'm a beginner who's been running for about 6 months and just completed my first 1/2 and I am eager to bury my head into some books whilst my legs mend

I want something to inspire me to run, I am interested in long distance, endurance, how the human body is bult to run, how to fine tune the body to become a running machine, mental strength etc. Born To Run is the obvious, but are there any others that you guys n gals can suggest that could also inspire/educate me?

hi, a book I really enjoyed and found inspirational while i've been training for a marathon is iron war by matt fitzgerald - it's based around triathlon but i think it's fascinating for anyone interested in distance sports. has some great educational bits. 

The Looniness of the Long Distance Runner, by Russell Taylor, a tongue-in-cheek tale of "an unfit Londoner's attempt to run the New York City marathon from scratch". It's hilarious.

I'd go along with Iron War too, plu7s our very own forumite pirate Andy Holgate's "Can't swim, ride, run", triathlon again, but it's his story of how he went from being a very overweight unfit unhappy guy with bad knees to an Ironman triathlete. A cracking good read and who knows, it may inspire you to dabble into triathlon too.

And when it comes to endurance events, you can't do better than Lynne Cox's "Swimming to Antarctica", her book about the truly amazing endurance swims she has done. Just read and enjoyed it. intersting stuff about the body's adaptation to cold water.

Feet in the Clouds: A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession

by richard askwith is very good

Julian Goater - the art of running faster. 

Former international athlete with some thought provoking ideas challenging accepted wisdom. Not just another training book also a very good read as he gives examples of his own experiences (good and bad) in racing to make his points. Nearly all 5 star reviews on amazon.

Running with the Kenyans is very good.I also enjoyed Barefoot Runner by Paul Rambali, The Running Man by Gilbert Tuyanbaye and Why We Run wasnt bad either.

Ive tried a few times but just cannot get into Feet in the Clouds at all.

Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron is fiction but worth a read. 

The Ghost Runner. it's about john tarrant.

Some brill suggestions thanks so much guys!! I am going to make my way through the lists on Amazon and get reading

From Last to First by Charlie Spedding is also an excellent read, a great insight into one of our greatest marathon runners.

Ghost Runner, From Last to First as already mentioned.

 Tea with Mr Newton.The biography of Arthur Newton

Chrissie Wellingtons book about her Triathlon success is a really good read.

Oh how did I forget that one?  A Life without Limits, brilliant reading, like the lady herself.

Bionic: Agreed .

Almost finishing The Looniness of the Long Distance Runner. Finding it a really interesting and amusing read so far Thanks all.