A British man, Russ Cook, hailing from Worthing, West Sussex, has accomplished the immense achievement of running the entire length of Africa, concluding his journey in Tunisia. This colossal undertaking, spanning 16,000 km and involving upwards of 19 million steps across 16 nations, consumed 352 days of Cook’s time. As well as his personal accomplishments, Cook, known popularly as “Hardest Geezer”, has raised charity funds throughout his journey.
He arrived at Ras Angela, Tunisia’s northernmost location, on a Sunday at approximately 4.40pm. His supporters, who had travelled to greet him, met him enthusiastically. In a conversation with Sky News, the 27-year-old endurance athlete simply summed up his state as “pretty tired”.
Commencing his journey in April 2023, from South Africa’s southernmost point, Cook’s challenge was fraught with difficulties, including visa issues, health concerns, and even a menacing armed robbery. However, his endeavour to become the first individual to jog across the entire continent was triumphant.
On the ultimate day of his challenge, Cook encouraged his supporters to join him for the concluding marathon. Many joined him, travelling not just from the UK but also from other locations globally. In honour of his momentous achievement, a celebratory finish line event is planned in a Bizerte-based hotel in Tunisia. Cook delightfully announced the British punk rock duo Soft Play’s performance at the party via his X (previously known as Twitter) account, where he regularly shared updates on his journey.
His expedition, dubbed ‘Project Africa’, has raised over £600,000 collectively for two charities – the Running Charity and Sandblast. The latter is known for its efforts to raise awareness for the native Saharawi people of western Sahara.
A week before completing his journey, Cook admitted on X that his incredible feat “no doubt” was the toughest he’d ever undertaken, but it also was an “immense honour”. He concluded knowing that his experiences have been humbling and that he would encourage others to pursue their unique version of adventure.
Gratitude is extended to the individuals of Africa for their incredible contribution to this adventure – PA.