<p>Lizzy Hawker is one of the greatest ultra-distance runners Britain has ever produced. She is the first woman to finish on the overall podium of the Spartathlon, one of the world toughest footraces, and has won the legendary The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc five times in its ten year history, the only person, man or woman, to achieve this.</p><p> </p><p>Lizzy came to the sport almost by accident - she had run a marathon or two, but tried her first ultra, a 40 mile track race, when invited to stay with friends in Wales. One month later she was representing England. Within eighteen months she was the women's world champion for 100km. Not bad for someone who started life in Upminster, had no coach, no gym, and was finishing her PhD.</p><p> </p><p><i>Runner</i> is the story of her journey and will get inside the head of the physical, mental and emotional challenges that runners go through at the edge of human endurance, in much the same way as Aurum's classic running story <i>Feet in the Clouds</i> by Richard Askwith did nearly ten years ago. Her story, as a self-taught champion, will be an inspiration for anyone who has dreamt of lacing up a pair of trainers and wondering how far they could run.</p>