Russ Cook set out on his challenge just over a year ago, planning to cover the 16,300km journey from the southern tip of South Africa to the northern most point in Tunis by Christmas 2023. The distance equates to over 381 marathons and, after some truly harrowing situations, he completed it in 352 days.
The 27-year-old from Worthing has quite a story. He attended Vale School in Findon before going on to Worthing High School and Worthing College but, as a troubled young man, he was burdened with mental health issues and struggles with alcohol. He told the Wide Awake podcast:
“I got quite isolated living in a flat by myself, working five different jobs. For about three years I was overweight, miserable, angry at the world and I kind of hit rock bottom. I got heavily into gambling, lost basically everything I own.
“I was in a nightclub in Brighton and I had this mad realisation: ‘What am I doing with my life? Something needs to change’. I decided I was going to run the 17 miles home. I had to have a couple of power naps on the pavement on the way, but I made it.”
When a friend invited him to run a half-marathon, he suddenly had his life back on track. He said: “I’m hesitant to say that running or exercise is the solution to everyone’s problems because it’s not, it’s more complicated than that. But running or fitness and exercise can be the spark.”
After this, Russ embarked on series of challenges. He ran from Asia to London in 2019, completing 71 marathons in 66 days, then broke the world record for the fastest car-pulling marathon when he dragged a 730kg Suzuki Alto 26 miles along the Worthing seafront.
And they’re off, just 381 marathons to go
After further training and much planning, Russ, now designated by all who know him as the ‘Hardest Geezer’, took the first steps on his most testing adventure, setting off from the coastal South African village of L’Agulhas on 22 April 2023. From there he followed a path along Africa’s west coast, through Namibia and a further 14 countries.
He faced some difficult incidents: two months in, he and his support team were robbed at gunpoint and had their passports, money, phones and equipment stolen. It’s all documented in terrifying detail on Instagram. Thankfully no-one was hurt, and as a result he received police escorts for the rest of the way.
Despite this, Russ later managed to get separated from his team when the road he took was impassable to the support vehicles. He was fortunate to escape a group armed with machetes demanding money.
In sickness and in health
As well as enduring the physical and mental toll of running more than a marathon each day, Russ also had to contend with sickness and injury. He struggled with a mystery illness during the early stages of the challenge, and suffered from food poisoning on more than one occasion – including being laid low over several days in Cameroon.
Then, as he made his way from Nigeria into Benin, with 200 days behind him, he was suddenly struck with the ‘flu, and although usually positive, he admitted: “Truth be told, I am a shell of a man at the moment.”
Still later, severe back pain halted his progress for a 48-hour period, but after a scan showed no bone damage, he carried on. Visa issues nearly finished him off. After 12,000km, he needed to cross from Mauritania to Algeria but permission was not to be had. The team had to resort to social media to raise awareness of his plight – and it worked! The East Worthing and Shoreham MP, Tim Loughton, among others, shared his plight and in due course the team was issued visas.
By this time the Hardest Geezer had been running for 300 days and, as he entered the Sahara, he was in a constant state of pain. He then had to suffer blinding sandstorms and, while he was again separated from the rest of his team after the van broke down, he had to take shelter from violent snowstorms. Now wearing swimming goggles to protect his eyes and a folded T-shirt to cover his mouth, he nonetheless pressed on to the finish line.
‘Toughest journey of my life’
On 7 April, Russ was joined for his final marathon by people inspired by his amazing achievement, and his epic undertaking reached a successful conclusion at Ras ben Sakka, in north Tunisia. There, he was reunited with family and friends. Seeing his girlfriend at last felt like “some mystical event”.
Speaking to Good Morning Britain, Russ said he was feeling “absolutely bamboozled”. In his final Instagram update he wrote: “Ran Africa. Was proper hard. Got it done. Strawberry daiquiri secured. Gave my beautiful girlfriend a big kiss. Went absolutely potty to @softplayplaysoft at the afters.”
Russ later said the challenge had been “the toughest in my life but an immense honour. I’m very grateful for these experiences and would definitely encourage anyone out there to go get after that adventure, whatever it looks like for you.”
His old school, Worthing High, was thrilled for him, posting on X: “Worthing High is so proud of what you have accomplished and can’t wait for you to come and share it with your old secondary school and inspire the next!” Worthing Borough Council also sent him “huge congratulations”.
Russ was of course supported by a team of dedicated volunteers and his epic adventure has already raised more than £850,000 for his two chosen charities, the Running Charity and Sandblast. The Running Charity harnesses the power of running to help people experiencing homelessness or managing complex needs, and Sandblast is devoted to raising awareness of the Saharawis of Western Sahara and empowering them through creative educational projects.
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