Russ Cook
 | This article's factual accuracy is disputed. (April 2024) |
 | It has been suggested that Project Africa be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since April 2024. |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Hardest Geezer |
| Nationality | English |
| Born | 13 March 1997 Worthing, England |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Ultrarunning |
| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals | Third person to run the entire length of Africa (pending official ratification) |
| Updated on 7 April 2024 | |
Russell Cook (born 13 March 1997), also known as Hardest Geezer, is an English endurance athlete from Worthing, West Sussex. In April 2024, Cook became the first person to run the entire length of Africa from the southernmost to the northernmost point of the continent as part of Project Africa.[1][2][3][4]Russ took on the challenge because he had faced mental health issues and a gambling addiction.
Early life and education
Cook was born in Worthing, West Sussex,[1] attended Vale school in Findon before attending Worthing High School and Worthing College.[citation needed]
Career
In 2020, Cook ran from Istanbul, Turkey to Worthing, England in 68 days.[5] Also in 2020,[6] he set the world record for the fastest marathon run whilst pulling a car, in 9 hours, 56 minutes.[5]
Running the length of Africa
On 22 April 2023, Cook began Project Africa, planning to run the entire length of the African continent. He began in Cape Agulhas, South Africa, the southernmost point and ended in Ras Angela, Tunisia, the northernmost point on 7 April 2024.[7] The course covered 16,000 km (9,900 mi) and crossed 16 countries.[8] During the run, he had to overcome several challenges including being robbed at gunpoint, food poisoning and being accosted by men with machetes.[9]
As part of his endeavour he raised money for the Running Charity, whom offer running and mental health programmes to people struggling, as well as the charity Sandblast who support the indigenous Saharawi population of Western Sahara.[10] Cook took on the challenge because he had faced mental health issues, gambling addiction, and struggles with alcoholism.[1] Having completed the challenge, numerous individuals and associations made counterclaims showing the evidence of two official records of runners having run the length of Africa. The common issue with these claims is none of them had run from the southernmost point to the northernmost point, which is what Cook achieved, and the only thing Mr Cook could claim legitimately as a record (if he gets his claim ratified officially). Nicholas Bourne from the United Kingdom successfully obtained the record in 1998 although started in Cape Town, South Africa and finished in Cairo, Egypt.[11]
References
- ^ a b c "Russ Cook: The man who ran the length of Africa". BBC News. 2024-04-07. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
- ^ "Mo Farah shares support for Worthing man running length of Africa". BBC News. May 24, 2023.
- ^ Church, Ben (May 11, 2023). "How one man is attempting to run the length of Africa … in just 240 days". CNN.
- ^ "The 'Hardest Geezer' on why nothing will stop his Africa run: "Chop both my legs off, I'll crawl" | indy100". www.indy100.com.
- ^ a b Heath, Jacob (2020-10-26). "The record-breaking Sussex runner known as 'The Hardest Geezer'". Sussex Live. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ Green, Olly (2023-07-19). "Russ Cook: The 'Hardest Geezer' aiming to run the length of Africa". Run247. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "He did it! 'Hardest Geezer' Russ Cook finishes gruelling challenge to run length of Africa". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "He did it! 'Hardest Geezer' Russ Cook finishes gruelling challenge to run length of Africa". Sky News. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ Mather, Victor (8 April 2024). "Guns, Machetes and Illness: The Perils of Running the Length of Africa". New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ Davies, Caroline (2024-04-07). "'I'm a little bit tired': Briton becomes first person to run the length of Africa". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ Braidwood, Jamie (2024-04-08). "Row erupts over Hardest Geezer's claim of 'record' run of Africa". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-04-09.