This book is written in a diary style with an entry for each of those 41 days. Mark’s goal was to break the world record for Cairo to Cape Town, so the focus of the book is very much about getting the miles in. There’s less about the experience of travelling and encountering different cultures because there simply was not the time for it. Yes, this is a gripping account of endurance cycling and Africa happens to be the backdrop.
You do still get a good impression of what each of the 8 countries is like. He does have interesting encounters with locals, albeit brief and mainly from the perspective of dealing with bureaucracy, lodgings and food. That aspect is actually fascinating- just how do you take care of these things when you are trying to break a record and have no time to waste? To be fair, at the end of each day he is simply exhausted and sleep is the priority, not socialising.
I enjoyed the opening pages of this book where Mark describes his failed attempt to row across the Atlantic. It’s quite terrifying and a stark illustration of the risks that endurance athletes put themselves through. It was that experience that convinced him to return to cycling.
I was totally onboard with this challenge, smiling when Mark completed each day with a huge mileage total that got him closer to his goal. I was blown away by his ability to just keep going, despite the physical and mental challenges.
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