2009 race dates
The 2009 MdS races dates (from the UK) are 26 March to 6 April 2009.
Registration status
- The UK contingent is the largest in the MdS, but is limited to 235 competitors.
- See the registration page for the next available MdS
- Facing Africa (website) may also have places - how to get a Facing Africa MdS place.
- We can only register residents of the UK, Northern Ireland and Israel - residents of other countries must contact their representative (who may have available places) via darbaroud.com.
Find sponsors to cover your costs
The Grand Alpha Club is a community web site for sports men and women of all disciplines and all abilities. They are proactive in finding you the funds you will need to compete in the MdS. See the Grand Alpha website for more details.
Seminars
Previous competitors of the MdS arrange events that are useful for meeting and sharing knowlege about the event. Best of Morocco does not organise these events so contact the organisers directly.
- Ambition Events welcome days - a day combining a run, workshops, kit review and a massage - full details
- How to do the Marathon des Sables - Luke Cunliffe - Full details
- Also see the other marathons / training events
DVD of the MdS
BBC Wildlife presenter Steve Backshall made a film of his experiences on the 2005 MDS. It is available directly from him at £10 (including p+p) for a burned DVD. To obtain it, email him at sbackshall at hotmail dot com for purchase details. Note that this is not the DVD produced by AOI.
Book of the MdS
Clive Gott, a competitor in the 2006 MdS, has written an honest and emotional book telling his story about how he completed the hardest footrace in the world. To purchase your copy send a cheque (payable to Clive Gott) for £5.50 to 15 Toll Bar Way, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. LS24 8JT.
Clive will donate £1 to Facing Africa for every copy sold.
Blood type test
To register for the marathon you will need to know your blood group. In view of the difficulties most people have in finding out their blood type, we are now able to offer you a very simple self-test kit which will tell you your blood group within a few minutes - More details.
Donations raised for Facing Africa
Thanks to the efforts of the competitors who ran for Facing Africa, the charity is getting significant donations. See the donations list for this and previous years sponsors.
Facing Africa wil contribute towards your costs if you run on their behalf - more details.
Websites of previous competitors
It's well worth reading the experiences of past competitors, including looking at their photos of feet, etc. A list of some of the more detailed sites.
The Darbaroud Boutique
The race organisers have opened a shop with book / dvd and equipment at www.darbaroud-boutik.com.