A British man attempting to become the first person to cross the entire length of Africa could end his challenge prematurely over a visa issue.
Russell Cook, an extreme marathoner known as Worthing’s ‘Hardest Geezer’, set out to complete 360 marathons in just 240 days.
His route takes him from South Africa, up through Central Africa, West Africa, around the Sahara and finally to North Africa to end in Tunisia.
He faced several complications along the way, including an armed robbery, forcing the 26-year-old to extend the challenge.
But his mission could be completely thwarted due to a problem obtaining a visa that would allow him to enter Algeria, the penultimate country on his route to Tunisia.
Russell Cook – a British man trying to become the first person to walk the entire length of Africa – could see his challenge halted prematurely due to a visa issue
In a video posted on social media, Cook said the success of his challenge now depended on Algerian authorities granting him permission to enter.
‘Right girls and boys, we have a little problem. We have not been able to get visas for Algeria, and if we don’t get them, it will be game over for Project Africa,” he said.
‘I have now run for 278 days, covered almost 12,000km (7,456 miles) across 13 countries and raised more than £140,000 for charity in my bid to become the first person ever to run the entire length of Africa
“But at the moment it all depends entirely on whether we can get permission from Algeria to allow us to enter through this border with Mauritania,” he said.
“This is the only option we have left, so Algeria, if you are listening, please contact me. If you need anything from us, let me know,” he added, addressing Algerian authorities. ‘It would be an absolute privilege to visit your beautiful country.
“To everyone following the journey online, please help us by sharing this and helping us get this out to the right people in Algeria.”
Tim Loughton, Conservative MP for East Worthing, said he had been sent Cook’s video and offered to help by contacting the Foreign Office.
“Russ sent this and I understand you’re from East Worthing,” he said.
“Can you email me some details and we will do what we can to help through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Algerian Embassy.”
MP Alexander Stafford also said he would help by raising the issue with the Algerian ambassador.
Russell Cook, an extreme marathoner known as Worthing’s ‘Hardest Geezer’, runs a 9,000-mile route from South Africa to Tunisia (pictured)
Russell embarks on an arduous quest to race more than 9,000 miles on foot from the southern tip of South Africa to the northern coast of Tunisia.
In doing so, the 26-year-old will cross 16 countries and brave some of the most inhospitable environments known to man, including rainforests and deserts.
Russell claims he would be the first person to make the trip and he wants to ‘suffer’ while he does it, while raising money for charity.
The athlete, who calls himself a former ‘fat kid’ with alcohol and gambling problems, was introduced to long-distance running at the age of 21 when he took part in the half marathon.
He has since built a reputation for testing strength and endurance: he ran 71 marathons in 66 days from Asia to London in 2019, pulled a Suzuki Alto 26 miles along the south coast and was buried alive for a week in 2021.
But #ProjectAfrica, as he calls it, is on a different level and he’s not doing things the easy way. The times in May last year that he does not intend to make any unnecessary stops along the way.
Russell’s mission could be completely thwarted due to a problem obtaining a visa that would allow him to enter Algeria, the penultimate country on his route to Tunisia
Russell began his journey on April 22 by departing from Cape Agulhas in South Africa. In a video on social media, Cook said the success of his challenge now depends on whether Algerian authorities allow him to enter.
In the course of his journey he has already traveled through South Africa, Namibia, Angola (where he was robbed), the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Guinea. .
He is currently in Senegal, according to his updates on run-tracking app Strava, and still has Mauritania and Algeria to go on his way to the finish in northern Tunisia.
During his journey, he was forced to contend with some of the most inhospitable environments in the world, as well as man-made problems.
But as he struggles with the visa problems, he also approaches the most difficult part of the challenge: crossing the Sahara.
On day 273 of his challenge, he said he was “mapping the Sahara” before the final part of his mission.
‘We have a difficult stretch to maneuver. One of those reasons is that the Sahara Desert is very big, has no water and is very hot,” he said a few days before telling his followers about the visa problems.
“The other thing we can add to this issue is that there are some pretty difficult geopolitical issues that need to be resolved in that region.
‘We have to cross from Mauritania to Algeria on foot, which, as far as we can tell from research, has not been done by foreigners for a long time.’
The extreme runner, who has a mantra of ‘you have one life, so attack it’, admits he could cause permanent damage to his body in the attempt.
Russell started his journey on April 22 by departing from Cape Agulhas in South Africa, and is raising money for charity as he attempts the extreme feat.
Half of the proceeds go to The Running Charity, which helps homeless young people, and the other half goes to WaterAid, which provides clean water and toilets in Africa, among others.
*You can donate on his fundraising page here*