‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook Completes Run Across Africa After Nearly One Grueling, Perilous Year

A British long-distance runner who calls himself the "Hardest Geezer" finished an epic, 10,000-mile journey across Africa on Sunday — after 352 exhausting days.

"I'm pretty tired," Russ Cook, 27, told reporters after crossing the finish line in Ras Angela, Tunisia, the continent's northernmost point.

On X, formerly Twitter, Cook posted a photo of himself approaching a strip of red tape after tossing his hat in the air.

"The first person ever to run the entire length of Africa. Mission complete," he wrote.

A crowd of supporters cheered Cook's arrival, with many chanting "geezer," the BBC reported.

Cook started his run in Cape Agulhas in South Africa, the continent's southernmost point, on April 22, 2023, passing through 16 countries, crossing jungles and deserts, and detouring around conflict zones.

The endurance athlete planned to do it in 240 days, which would have been the equivalent of running more than a marathon every day, according to the Associated Press.

But he was repeatedly delayed by problems that included back pain in Nigeria and food poisoning in Cameroon.

He and his team also had their money, passports and gear stolen at gunpoint in Angola and he was denied permission to enter Algeria without a visa until the Algerian Embassy in Britain stepped in to help.

Cook's run raised about $870,000 for the Running Charity, which works with homeless youth in the U.K., and Sandblast, a charity that helps displaced people from the Moroccan-occupied territory of Western Sahara.

Cook, who's from seaside Worthing in southern England, has spoken about how running helped him deal with mental health, gambling and drinking problems, according to the BBC.

He also said he wanted to "make a difference" and to be able to look back on his life without regrets.

Cook was joined by a group of supporters for Sunday's final leg of his trek, telling Sky News beforehand, "It's quite hard to put into words, 352 days on the road, long time without seeing family, my girlfriend."

"My body is in a lot of pain. But one more day, I'm not about to complain," he said.

Cook planned to celebrate his astounding accomplishment with a party featuring the British band Soft Play.

"We're going to have strawberry daiquiris on the beach tonight," he said. "It's going to be unreal."

Tags

Running, Africa, Charity, British, Marathon