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The Marathon Des Sables: Seven Days in the Sahara Enduring the Toughest Footrace on Earth | 
 enlarge | Author: Mark Hines
Publisher: Healthy Body Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: £14.99
Buy New: £8.62
You Save: £6.37 (42%)
New (9) Used (2) from £6.82
Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 24381
Media: Paperback
Pages: 400
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1
Dimensions (in): 9.8 x 7.5 x 0.9
ISBN: 0955380014
EAN: 9780955380013
ASIN: 0955380014
Publication Date: November 20, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Very disappointing August 21, 2008
I am baffled as to what Mark Hines was trying to achieve with this book, apart from to plug his other books and friends' businesses.
The book is badly written- I'm astounded that this guy is supposed to have published before and have studied a PhD.
It contains a low level of physiological and training facts, which are not informative enough to be useful as a training guide, and only succeed in making it a very dull read.
Most disappointing is the author's complete inability to write a good story or engage the reader. So rather than being inspired by the book, I found myself re-considering my decision to compete in ultramarathons, due to the fear of encountering individuals like Mark along the way!
 Strangely inspiring ... June 6, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I bought this book out of pure curiosity, as I do some distance running and am looking for future challenges(!). Initially I found myself struggling a bit with the format, which is basically an extended diary. However, the more I read, the more I found myself drawn along with the author's 'journey' in his training for this event and while the event was a relatively small part of the book, I felt it worked for me.
If you are looking for a book that will tell you what training you need to do to complete this event, this is probably not for you (although if you do what the author did, that would probably work - it did for him!). If however, you are looking for something inspirational that will motivate you to longer term goals, then I would recommend this.
Probably my only criticism is that the photos were not great, but I did not find that too detrimental. On the plus side, I have read it three times now, which must say something!
Must Buy! May 27, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
In preparation for the Marathon des Sables 2008 I purchased "The Marathon Des Sables: Seven Days in the Sahara" written by Mark Hines. This book proved to be a indispensible guide in preparation for the 'toughest footrace on earth' providing a accurate and real world experience of what it takes to get prepared and then make it through the event. There are a number of tips for future competitors intending to take on the challenge of a lifetime. This is a easy to read book for anyone looking to experience the journey in preparation for the Sahara and for anyone looking to discover what the event is all about! Simply a "must buy" ...
poor March 16, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
i find the book light on relevant information, it took nearly 300 pages to reach the marathon. The training described is not in depth enough for someone wishing to compete in the event itself and the diary format made gave the book an amateur feel to it, definitely not value for money. There are better written books of this ilk on the market.
 Original and Entertaining! February 21, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Contrary to some reviewers, I actually think that this book exhibits a fair level of English, with no more oversights than I have seen in many other publications. As an ultra-runner myself, I think that the diary style of the book works well, and there is a clear progression from basic fitness to completion of the event. It hasn't been written as a training guide, however, and it is more a case of gleaning the information from what he does, such as desert runs, training in hot climates, recovering from injury (and surgery), and building up the mileage. Mostly, it seems that anything that requires some level of grit and determination will prove beneficial later on. The style and format could definitely be improved, with a greater bias towards the race itself, but many readers will gain something from the training details - those with less experience probably more than accomplished ultra-marathoners.
Those purely interested in the race could probably skip some parts, but I enjoyed reading about the training sessions in Egypt and around the United Kingdom, and getting back to fitness after the operation. Like some others, I did find it inspiring and I did feel an urge to throw on a rucksack and head out into the hills. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the event, and would recommend also scouring the various websites and forums for more specific guidance.
Having read Dean Karnazes book, it seems that the greatest benefit of any of these ultra-marathon books is the insight into the minds of other runners, and I often find elements of both books coming back to me when training. I recommend both books, along with that of Richard Askwith and Survival of the Fittest by Mike Stroud.
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