Stephanie Reents' new novel, 'We Loved To Run', tells the captivating story of a female US college cross-country team, delving into what makes them tick and the external challenges that threaten to pull them apart.

It's a fantastic read that explores everything from why women run and the pressures it brings, to the relationships teammates build and the coaches whose sometimes dubious methods involve weighing them and punishing under-performing runners by making them lead the toughest sessions.

Further, it dives into college life, addressing issues such as sexual consent, disordered eating, and alcoholism. It's a riveting, and ultimately, uplifting read that propels you into a world of sacrifice, pain, confused identity, and female friendships.

Stephanie was a collegiate runner herself, who went on to run the New York Marathon in a little over three hours. 'We Loved To Run' is her latest publication following 'The Kissing List' - a collection of stories that was a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice - and 'I Meant to Kill Ye', a bibliomemoir chronicling her journey into the strange void at the heart of Cormac McCarthy's 'Blood Meridian'.

Running Tales spoke to Stephanie about the power and pain of running, why she wrote 'We Loved To Run', and setting new targets as she comes to terms with not being able to run as quickly as she used to.

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Buy 'We Loved To Run' on Amazon