Review of Running the Sahara
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Review of Running the Sahara
[Following is a volunteer review of "Running the Sahara" by Marcel Nickler.]
Running the Sahara by Marcel Nickler is a book about persistence, motivation, and passion; a real life story about the author’s greatest adventure yet - participating in Marathon des Sables. The ultramarathon takes place in the heated Sahara desert, spanning up to 237km of sheer endurance under the relentless heat of the desert. In this book, Marcel Nickler tells his story of how he developed his passion for running, the memorable experiences that he’s had, and the invaluable marathon tips that he has learned along the way. It is a practical book with useful information regarding his dietary plans and the equipment he used, while also containing some emotional highlights that he felt during his run.
One of my favorite elements in this book is the optimistic undertone that the author uses to tell his story. Every chapter has an uplifting aspect to it, from sharing inspirational quotes to encouraging readers to overcome negative thoughts. The author’s passion for running is also contagious due to the way he describes how he feels when running or even the comradery of the marathon community as a whole. This has opened my mind to joining marathons even though I am not a frequent runner. The positive outlook extends beyond his love for running, all the way to his love for his family and even a brief mention of his charitable projects to help people in third world countries.
Additionally, I also appreciate the structure of the book which includes a coherent list of useful information, such as what he packed during his trip, how much daily calorie intake he consumed, and even the weight of his equipment. The book consists of some creatively drawn illustrations which act as a nice breather for the reader’s eyes in between chapters, and images at the end of the book helps the reader visualize the scene as well. The fast pace of the book also makes it enjoyable to read due to the straightforward and simplistic nature of it.
However, one of the faults in this book is that it lacks a certain depth. When I first picked up this book, I had expected to be immersed in the Sahara desert with the author, but instead I had a hard time picturing what he was seeing. This is because he would describe the views as “nice” and “beautiful”, with barely any other descriptions to help the reader envision themselves in his shoes. The author also failed to explore any deep emotional turmoil or doubts that he may have had throughout his run. If he experienced any fear or anxiousness in the foreign land, he did not express it enough.
The book is well-edited and I could not find any noticeable grammar or spelling errors while reading. Unfortunately, there is some information in the book which is repetitive, almost as if the author forgot that he wrote about it in the earlier chapters. With all factors considered, I am rating this book a 3 out of 4 stars. This is because I find this book to be generally enjoyable and inspirational, but it is not particularly life-changing.
I would recommend this book to novice or veteran runners, especially those who are planning to take on challenging ultramarathons such as Marathon des Sables. This book is also suited for those who enjoy reading about other people’s life experiences or readers that are seeking motivation to improve themselves.
******
Running the Sahara
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Running the Sahara by Marcel Nickler is a book about persistence, motivation, and passion; a real life story about the author’s greatest adventure yet - participating in Marathon des Sables. The ultramarathon takes place in the heated Sahara desert, spanning up to 237km of sheer endurance under the relentless heat of the desert. In this book, Marcel Nickler tells his story of how he developed his passion for running, the memorable experiences that he’s had, and the invaluable marathon tips that he has learned along the way. It is a practical book with useful information regarding his dietary plans and the equipment he used, while also containing some emotional highlights that he felt during his run.
One of my favorite elements in this book is the optimistic undertone that the author uses to tell his story. Every chapter has an uplifting aspect to it, from sharing inspirational quotes to encouraging readers to overcome negative thoughts. The author’s passion for running is also contagious due to the way he describes how he feels when running or even the comradery of the marathon community as a whole. This has opened my mind to joining marathons even though I am not a frequent runner. The positive outlook extends beyond his love for running, all the way to his love for his family and even a brief mention of his charitable projects to help people in third world countries.
Additionally, I also appreciate the structure of the book which includes a coherent list of useful information, such as what he packed during his trip, how much daily calorie intake he consumed, and even the weight of his equipment. The book consists of some creatively drawn illustrations which act as a nice breather for the reader’s eyes in between chapters, and images at the end of the book helps the reader visualize the scene as well. The fast pace of the book also makes it enjoyable to read due to the straightforward and simplistic nature of it.
However, one of the faults in this book is that it lacks a certain depth. When I first picked up this book, I had expected to be immersed in the Sahara desert with the author, but instead I had a hard time picturing what he was seeing. This is because he would describe the views as “nice” and “beautiful”, with barely any other descriptions to help the reader envision themselves in his shoes. The author also failed to explore any deep emotional turmoil or doubts that he may have had throughout his run. If he experienced any fear or anxiousness in the foreign land, he did not express it enough.
The book is well-edited and I could not find any noticeable grammar or spelling errors while reading. Unfortunately, there is some information in the book which is repetitive, almost as if the author forgot that he wrote about it in the earlier chapters. With all factors considered, I am rating this book a 3 out of 4 stars. This is because I find this book to be generally enjoyable and inspirational, but it is not particularly life-changing.
I would recommend this book to novice or veteran runners, especially those who are planning to take on challenging ultramarathons such as Marathon des Sables. This book is also suited for those who enjoy reading about other people’s life experiences or readers that are seeking motivation to improve themselves.
******
Running the Sahara
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Happiness is All We Want! by Ashutosh Mishra
