A Brit who has faced machetes and being kidnapped at gunpoint has finished his epic challenge of running the length of Africa.
Russ Cook, from Worthing, West Sussex, who has earned the nickname of ‘hardest geezer’, has crossed 16 countries in a 16,000 kilometre journey which he began on April 22 last year. He has faced a test of endurance and also the many obstacles en route from visa complications and health scares to armed robbery as he attempted to become the first person to run the full length of the continent.
Russ set off at around 10am on Sunday from a petrol garage in Ghezala, a town in north-west Tunisia, and has now crossed the finish line located in Ras Angela, the country’s most northerly point. He has spent 352 days on the road having started at South Africa’s most southerly point and has raised more than £650,000 for the Running Charity and Sandblast as part of the venture called Project Africa.
Speaking at the finish line, the 27-year-old endurance athlete said, understandably: “I’m pretty tired.”
He has now reached the most northerly point in Tunisia (AFP via Getty Images)
Russ was joined by supporters for the final leg of the journey (AFP via Getty Images)
Russ faced a test of endurance and also the many obstacles en route from visa complications and health scares (hardestgeezer/Instagram)
It has been a 16,000 kilometre journey (Instagram/hardestgeezer)For the final day of his challenge, Mr Cook invited his supporters to take on the last marathon with him, with many flying out to Tunisia to run alongside him. “How can you be tired when there’s this many people running with you?,” he said. “There’s so much energy.”
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"The realisation that my wife got pregnant, had a baby and we now have a two month old in the time he's done this really put it into perspective," said a supporter who ran part of the distance with Russ on the final day. "I did 22km and I had to pull the pin. He did 16,000km. It's left me speechless."
Russ faced many dangers along the way
Russ Cook is now throwing a party at the end of his run (Sky News)Mr Cook announced he will be throwing a finish line party to celebrate his feat at a hotel in Bizerte, Tunisia. The party is set to feature a performance by the British punk rock band Soft Play, formerly known as Slaves, comprising of Laurie Vincent and Isaac Holman. The Soft Play band said of coming out to perform: "We are big fans of his and he is a fan of us."
Writing on X/Twitter, where he has been sharing regular updates on his quest, he said: “Can’t quite believe it but we’ve managed to pull off Soft Play playing the finish line party in Tunisia. Get your daiquiris ready girls & boys this is gonna be mega.”
Originally, he planned to run from Tunisia to South Africa, with the aim of finishing 360 marathons in 240 days with no time off. But his initial hopes were stopped due to issues obtaining an Algerian visa. And 50 days into his run he was the victim of an armed robbery in Angola on June 24 where he and his support team had passports, visas, phones, cash and other key items stolen.
Last Tuesday, Russ said the challenge had been “the toughest in my life but an immense honour”. He wrote: “We have met incredible people in every single country we’ve been to that have welcomed us with love and kindness. The human spirit is a beautiful thing. Very grateful for these experiences and would definitely encourage anyone out there to go get after that adventure, whatever it looks like for you.”
Russ Cook ran with his supporters through the Tunisian town of Bizerte in Tunisia (Hasan Mrad/IMAGESLIVE via ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)
Russ admitted he was "pretty tired" at the end of the run (Hasan Mrad/IMAGESLIVE via ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)
Russ has been raising money for charity with his mammoth run (hardestgeezer/Instagram)
Russ has also had to deal with administrative issues over visas (hardestgeezer/Instagram)Then halfway through the fundraising challenge he found himself in a rural settlement where he was surrounded by men armed with machetes demanding cash. He said at the time: "Emptied my bag to show I had nothing but a half-eaten biscuit. Gave it to them, and ran. Spent the next few hours bushwhacking through overgrown jungle paths.
"Trying to stay off any tracks until I was far away." But things then went from bad to worse after he realised the support van couldn't reach the road before two men suddenly "pulled up on a bike." He added: "What happened next was a seven-hour motorbike ride deeper into the jungle. In my head, I thought this was it. Me. The self-proclaimed hardest geezer. About to get held in a Congo gulag before being ripped apart limb by limb and eaten."
Russ explained that he was later forced into a hut after being driven to a village. He said a group of men began to argue about what they should do with him. Eventually, he managed to negotiate with them and his team arranged a rescue method. And then there were health concerns including a stomach issue that led him to have to take a rest on day 45 with doctors finding blood in his urine. He also had to slow his rhythm down on day 200 in Nigeria while he missed days 205 and 206.
But now finally at the end of the historic run, Russ will be able to enjoy a curry and football back home. "Honestly just looking forward to cutting about Worthing, grab a meal deal, spend some time with my girlfriend, Sunday league, curry with the boys. England to win euros and a heatwave summer?! Dreamland," he wrote, when asked what he missed most about the UK.
While the run across Africa has been his biggest challenge, he also ran from Asia to England aged 22, completing 71 marathons in 66 days. Russ' target is to raise £1million for charity and people can donate on his fundraising page.
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