After 352 days, 16 different countries, and a mammoth 9,941 miles, the ‘Hardest Geezer‘ has become the first person to run the length of Africa.
Russ Cook, from Worthing, was joined by mobs of supporters as he crossed the finish line in Ras Angela, Tunisia, the most northern point of the continent on Sunday.
His gruelling journey began just shy of a year earlier in the most southern point, Cape Agulhas in South Africa, on April 22, 2023.
“It was good, I’m a bit tired,” he said, after capping off the extreme challenge with a dip in the ocean.
The 27-year-old – who went through more than 30 pairs of trainers during the journey – has raised £700,000 for two charities and is aiming to hit £1m.
The money has been hard-earned, with far more than the intense heat and physical exhaustion to contend with.
Cook was held at gunpoint and robbed in Angola, while his quest through the jungle in the Democratic Republic of the Congo saw him taken hostage by villagers with machetes.
There were also visa issues, numerous safety warnings, and various detours that threatened to halt his progress, but despite the unrelenting hurdles, Cook, with the help of his supporters across the globe, managed to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
The money he has raised during Project Africa, which roughly equated to 379 marathons, will be donated to The Running Charity, which supports the mental health of young people with complex needs or who are homeless, and Sandblast which educates people about Sahrawi culture.
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Photo credits: Hardest Geezer’s IG
