The ‘Hardest Geezer’ has lifted the lid on the ‘traumatic’ moment he was kidnapped by machete-wielding villagers while running the length of Africa.
Russ Cook, from worthing, crossed the finish in Ras Angela, Tunisia earlier this month, bringing an end to the 352-day journey that saw him cover an incredible 9,941 miles and raise just shy of £1m for charity.
Aside from heat stroke, fatigue, and all the other physical hardships that come with covering such a distance, Cook found himself in some dicey situations, to say the least.
In the space of just a few days, the 27-year-old was held at gunpoint and kidnapped by armed villagers demanding cash.
hardest geezer kidnapped: The Full Story
“I’ll be honest, it was the scariest couple of days of my life,” he admitted. “I got separated from the boys and some of the roads in the Congo were harder to pass than we anticipated.”
The Brit found himself hacking his way through single-track jungle paths before stumbling upon a remote village, where things took a menacing turn.
“The chief of the village came up to me speaking a local language and a little bit of French, and I didn’t understand any of it. I knew he was asking for money and getting more and more aggressive.
“Before I knew it I was surrounded by pretty much the entire village. Men with machetes came out and we walked further into the bush.”
With things looking perilous, Cook admitted he was ‘totally bricking it.’
“I’ve heard the stories of how these things go,” he continued.
“I was just thinking, ‘Oh my God, how have I got myself into this?’
“I emptied my bag to show them I actually didn’t have anything on me. My phone was in a concealed pocket and I had long sleeves on, so they couldn’t see my watch or anything like that.”
After several hours, Cook managed to negotiate his release and was reunited with his team.
“I had said at the start of this, ‘Run Africa or die trying,’ and I guess now is when we get to find out whether I really mean it, and I do,” he added.
Cook marked his return home by lacing up his running shoes and completing the London marathon.
