‘Hardest Geezer’ reveals BIZARRE moment he began running as he shares how the sport changed his life after completing the London Marathon two weeks after his 10,000-mile challenge across Africa
‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook completed the London Marathon on Sunday – just two weeks after completing his epic 10,000-mile run across the length of Africa.
And now the runner, 27, has opened up about where it all started as he revealed the bizarre moment he decided to take up the sport.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain with presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid on Monday, Russ admitted it all started in a nightclub toilet.
The world record breaker started marathon running at the age of 20 after making the decision to turn his life around while struggling with a gambling addiction.
Richard explained: ‘It just happened, you were in a nightclub one night, you were a bit overweight, a bit hammered and you looked at yourself in the vanity mirror and thought, ‘This has got to stop.’
‘Hardest Geezer’ has revealed the BIZARRE moment he took up running, as he told how the sport changed his life during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Monday
The 27-year-old runner completed Sunday’s London Marathon in 4 hours, 25 minutes and 40 seconds – just two weeks after completing his 10,000-mile challenge across Africa
“And you ran home from the club, 11 miles at three in the morning.”
“Pretty much exactly that,” Russ confirmed, joking, “Yeah, lack of cabs that night or something.”
He then explained, “But yeah, I ran home, had a pretty hard time, took a few breaks and slept on the sidewalk, but then my buddy said to me, ‘Come on, do this half marathon, get into it .” I had nothing else to go for, so I thought I’d just give it a try.’
And the sport has completely changed Russ’ life, as he confessed that he struggled with gambling and had hard times before discovering his love for running.
Russ continued: “I struggled with gambling and that involved some pretty rough nights, but I discovered running and that was what I could focus my energy on.
“It’s given me some positive results for the first time in a long time.”
When asked what the star’s next challenge is, he teased: “I have a few ideas, but nothing is set in stone.”
Russ joined a record 50,000 people taking part in the London Marathon on Sunday as he completed the grueling 42.2 mile course in four hours, 25 minutes and 40 seconds.
Russ admitted it all started in a nightclub toilet when he realized he had to change his life and decided to run home – 18 miles – at 3am
He explained: ‘I struggled with gambling and that involved some pretty rough nights, but I found running and that was what I could focus my energy on’
‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook today joined a record 50,000 people taking part in the London Marathon
Russ was seen crossing the finish line at Ras Angela, Tunisia’s northernmost point, after running the equivalent of 385 marathons in 352 days
He decided to take part in the race through the capital having only completed his almost year-long challenge in April – starting at the continent’s southernmost point, Cape Agulhas in South Africa before crossing the finish line in Race Angela, Tunisia. 7.
The epic journey, which saw him robbed at gunpoint, held hostage and almost forced to abandon the challenge after being left at the Mauritanian border without a visa, took him 352 days to complete and was the equivalent of running 385 marathons.
He was hugged by loved ones and serenaded by fans chanting “Geezer, Geezer, Geezer” as he completed his African odyssey earlier this month, before declaring he was not done with running challenges and might run across North America next.
Speaking to the BBC prior to the marathon: he joked: “I’ve been enjoying the past few weeks and getting the pastries and pizza in, so I need to burn off a little bit of it.”