7 Marathon des Sables Mistakes That Have Nothing to Do With Running

If you've entered Marathon des Sables Legendary, chances are you've already spent time thinking about your training plan and figuring out: how many miles should you run, how long should your longest run be, should you be doing hill reps, back-to-back weekends or heat training?

Those are all important questions, but they aren't necessarily the ones most likely to determine your success in the Sahara.

Having coached runners preparing for MDS and spent countless hours discussing race preparation with competitors, one thing becomes clear very quickly: the runners who struggle most are rarely undertrained. More often, they are under-prepared.

The desert has a habit of exposing weaknesses that have very little to do with running fitness. Blisters, poor pack choices, nutrition mistakes can become race ending problems. Whilst in training, inadequate recovery and trying to follow somebody else's plan can all have a far bigger impact on race training than missing the odd training session.

Here are seven common mistakes, in no particular order, that have nothing to do with running but could make all the difference to your MDS experience.

1. Leaving Pack Decisions Too Late

Most runners understand they need to train with a pack, but surprisingly few train with the rucksack packed as it will be in the event.

A rucksack can feel perfectly comfortable carrying a jacket and a couple of water bottles. It can feel very different when loaded with mandatory kit, six days' worth of food, a sleeping bag and several litres of water.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is runners buying a pack because it worked for somebody else, only to discover later that it doesn't suit their body shape, creates pressure points or simply carries weight poorly.

Buy your pack early. Fill it with the kit you intend to take. Weigh it. Run with it. Hike with it. Decide how you will fill it, ie does it have enough pockets, can you access your nutrition on the go and learn how it behaves when fully loaded.

The aim is not just to carry the weight. The aim is to stop noticing the pack altogether.

2. Treating Foot Care as an Afterthought

Many runners spend months building fitness and only start thinking about their feet a few weeks before departure.

Your feet are your transport system for the week. Looking after them deserves as much attention as any training session. When training learn how to recognise hotspots before they become blisters. Experiment with socks. Test gaiters. Most importantly, learn some basic taping techniques and practise them during training.

Not every foot responds the same way, and what works brilliantly for one runner can create problems for another. Long back-to-back training weekends provide the perfect opportunity to discover what works for you.

3. Not Understanding Your Hydration and Salt Requirements

The MDS community often spends a lot of time discussing salt tablets. The problem is that many runners are looking for a magic number.

There isn't one.

Some athletes lose relatively little sodium during exercise, while others finish long runs with visible white salt stains on their clothing. Their requirements are unlikely to be the same.

One of the most valuable things you can do during training is learn how your body responds in hot conditions. Understand your sweat rate. Notice whether you are a particularly salty sweater. Practise your hydration strategy during long runs and back-to-back weekends.

When sodium levels begin to drop, the effects are often subtle at first. Pace feels harder to maintain. Concentration drifts. Recovery becomes more difficult. Many runners assume they simply need to work harder when in reality, their body is struggling to maintain output.

4. Carrying Weight You Don't Need

One of the biggest mindset shifts for MDS is learning to think like a backpacker rather than a runner.

Every gram matters. A few extra grams on one item may seem insignificant, but repeated across every piece of kit they soon add up. The result is more weight carried over every kilometre of the race. The answer isn't always to buy the lightest version of everything, this might not be feasible. But what you can do is make informed decisions.

The same principle applies to food. Experienced MDS competitors often think in terms of calories per gram rather than simply calories per serving. Energy-dense foods can provide significant nutritional value without adding unnecessary weight.

Simple choices such as powdered peanut butter, carefully selected nuts, or adding small amounts of oil to meals can improve calorie intake without dramatically increasing pack weight.

The objective is not to carry less for the sake of it. It is to carry only what genuinely adds value.

5. Forgetting That Recovery Is Part of Training

Many MDS runners are highly motivated individuals. They enjoy training and often feel guilty when they aren't doing it.

Unfortunately, the body doesn't get stronger during training. It gets stronger when it recovers from training.

Sleep is one of the most powerful recovery tools available, yet it is often overlooked. Consistent sleep, sensible recovery weeks and good nutrition are what allow your body to absorb the work you are doing.

The runners who arrive healthy at the start line are rarely those who completed the most heroic sessions. More often, they are the runners who trained consistently, listened to their body, and not everyone else on FB and recovered well enough to keep doing so.

6. Buying the First Piece of Kit Someone Recommends

Social media has made it easier than ever to access information about MDS. It has also made it easier than ever to spend money unnecessarily. Every year a handful of products become popular within the community. Suddenly everybody seems to be buying the same shoes, the same pack, the same sleeping mat and the same nutrition.

The reality is that there is rarely a single perfect solution. Research your kit carefully. Understand why experienced competitors recommend certain products rather than simply copying their shopping list. Borrow equipment where possible and test it thoroughly before committing.

The best piece of kit is not necessarily the one everybody else is using. It's the one that works best for you.

7. Comparing Yourself to Everyone Else

The MDS Facebook groups are one of the most valuable resources available to entrants. They contain an incredible amount of experience and practical advice.

However, they can also become a source of anxiety. One person is posting about a 50-mile training run. Someone else is completing another ultra before MDS. Another runner is discussing their heat chamber protocol or sharing photographs of a meticulously weighed race pack. It is easy to start questioning whether you are doing enough.

The problem is that comparison rarely provides useful context. You don't know that person's training history, injury profile, goals, age, work commitments or recovery capacity.

The best MDS training plan is not the most impressive one. It is the one that gets you to the start line healthy, confident and ready to enjoy the experience. Use online communities for support and information. Just be careful not to allow other people's preparation to distract you from your own.

Final Thoughts

When people think about Marathon des Sables, they often focus on the obvious challenges: the heat, the sand and the distance.

In reality, success is usually built long before race week arrives.

It is built through understanding your body, making sensible equipment choices, practising with your kit, learning how to look after your feet, refining your nutrition strategy and developing confidence in your own preparation.

The runners who perform best are not always the fittest. More often, they are the ones who arrive with the fewest unanswered questions. If you can reach the start line knowing your pack works, your feet are prepared, your nutrition is tested and your training has been built around your needs rather than somebody else's, you will already have solved many of the problems that catch runners out in the desert.

And that gives you the freedom to do what you entered Marathon des Sables to do in the first place: enjoy one of the greatest adventures out there.