The ‘Hardest Geezer’, also known as Russ Cook, ran through 16 countries from south to north Africa (Picture: Metro.co.uk/PA)
Russ Cook, known as the ‘Hardest Geezer’, has completed a 10,000 mile run from South Africa to Tunisia across 16 countries in just 352 days.
From deserts, to jungles, and mountains, the 27-year-old has faced it all and has inspired people from all walks of life with his intrepid journey.
The 27-year-old took on the challenge after discussing his battles with his mental health, drinking, and gambling, and has raised more than £750,000 for charity.
But the journey has been far from easy for the runner, who encountered two armed robberies and visa issues.
After almost a year, he crossed the finish line in Ras Angela, Tunisia, after running the equivalent of 376 marathons.
Crossing the finish line, he simply said: ‘I’m a bit tired,’ and added on X: ‘The first person ever to run the entire length of Africa. Mission complete.’
We take a look at his incredible story from start to finish.
Russ puts his hands on his head as he takes in the momentous occasion (Picture: The Snapshot People Ltd/PA Wire)
What inspired the ‘Hardest Geezer’ to take on the challenge?
It is safe to say that Russ Cook is no stranger to a difficult challenge and challenged himself even before this marathon across Africa.
Named the ‘Hardest Geezer’ thanks to a series of outrageous physical feats in the past, he took on the Brighton Half Marathon and then the Brighton Marathon before Project Africa.
He said this training provided the foundations for his transformation and later challenges.
In 2019 he was best known for becoming the first person to run from Asia to London.
This involved completing 71 marathons in 66 days from Istanbul, Turkey, to Worthing, West Sussex.
In 2020, he almost halved the record for the fastest marathon while pulling a 730kg Suzuki Alto along Worthing Seafront and completing the marathon in nine hours and 56 minutes.
He’s also completed a marathon on crutches, ran a marathon while drinking beer, and was buried alive for a week.
Russ sits after arriving at the finish line in Ras Angela (Picture: AP)
In 2022, Russ announced his plans to run Project Africa, initially for 240 days, running 39.1 miles each day.
But the true reality of it all proved to be much harder than Russ had previously envisaged.
‘Hardest Geezer’s’ marathon across Africa
Russ kicked things off on April 22 2023 on day one and left the coastal South African village of L’Agulhas, which marks Africa’s most southern tip.
On his first day, he ran more than 30 miles and from there on in set off through Namibia, and then into Angola.
Things took a turn on day 64 when Russ was robbed at gunpoint and him and his team had their passports, money, phones and equipment stolen.
At the time, he told Good Morning Britain: ‘I was just on a lunch break like any other day. I was just in the van with a couple of my crew and just had a couple of sweeties and a bit of water so I was a happy lad.
This map shows the arduous journey Russ took through the African continent (Picture: Metro graphics)
‘But then two lads came storming up the side of the van, and another one on a motorbike, and cracked open the door and proceeded to point a gun in all of our faces and tell us to give them everything we had. It was a bit of a lively one to be fair.
‘It was a bit touch and go, obviously, guns in the face aren’t an ideal situation but we all made it out alive, we lived to tell the tale so it is what it is. We were expecting things like this to happen.’
Following the incident, in which nobody was hurt, the team received a police escort for the rest of their time through Angola.
But when he reached the Democratic Republic of the Congo on August 7, Russ was kidnapped by a gang of machete-wielding men after getting separated from his support team due to blockages on the road.
Timeline of ‘Hardest Geezer’s’ marathon across Africa
As he wrote on X: ‘In an attempt to find the boys at a village on the Plan B route, I stumbled into a rural settlement where the chief told me I must give him money. I had none.
‘So that went down well. Pretty soon I found myself surrounded by lots of game blokes with machetes. Was escorted out of the village into the bush.
‘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.
‘Made it to the village on the plan B route to find the road was also impassable for the support van again. Exhausted and dehydrated, I started heading back to the last known place with passable roads when two blokes pulled up on a bike.
‘They spoke no English but tried to communicate I must come with them to get back to my friends.
‘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.’
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
He eventually managed to negotiate an opportunity to contact his team who were able to rescue him.
Russ was forced to contend with sickness and injury on day 167 in Nigeria because of the physical and mental toll of running each day.
Flu struck when he made his way from Nigeria into Benin and the usually positive Russ admitted: ‘Truth be told I am a shell of a man at the moment.’
A back problem on day 205 in Guinea then forced him to take a 48 hour rest.
While he made his way through the country, he said he felt like ‘someone has swapped my hip flexors for cheese strings’.
Then, on the border with Mauritania and Algeria on day 278, Russ feared he could be stopped because of visa issues.
Unable to secure a visa, he called on the power of social media to help him, which worked when MPs shared his message and it was not long before it was granted.
Russ said a highlight of the trip was travelling through Mauritania where he was stopped by people many times offering fresh supplies.
He powered on through no matter the circumstances (Picture: Instagram/russcook)
It was then the final stretch for Russ, who battled not only sandstorms but snowstorms as well as he ran through Algeria.
At this moment, he said his body was in ‘constant pain’ and was ‘wrecked’.
In swimming goggles and a folded t-shirt around his mouth to protect himself, Russ pressed on to the finish line.
He completed the challenge yesterday on day 352 as he crossed into Tunisia’s most northern point.
After a few tears, he took a moment to stare at the sea’s horizon with his hands on his head, contemplating his feat.
What will the ‘Hardest Geezer’ do now?
Right now, the only thing that is on Russ’s mind is rest and more importantly, a Greggs and a Strawberry Daquiri.
He appeared on Good Morning Britain and shared what he will be doing after the mammoth marathon.
Many of his fans also flew out to Tunisia to take part in his final marathon with him.
The 27-year-old also said he felt ‘bamboozled’ and said ‘It’s incredible, it’s not really sunk in yet but I am going to go and have a good party now.’
He celebrated his success throwing a finish line party to celebrate his achievement at a hotel in Bizerte, Tunisia.
More Trending
His final update from the challenge posted last week read on X: ‘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.’
The £750,000 he has raised for charity will go towards the two charities he has been running for, the Running Charity and Sandblast, through his adventure, Project Africa.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.