He is robbed at gunpoint and kidnapped by machete-wielding thugs in the jungle.
But extreme marathoner and self-proclaimed ‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook will become the first person to cross the entire length of Africa when he completes his incredible 9,000-mile journey later today.
The 26-year-old, from Worthing, West Sussex, has been running for 351 days and crossed the border into Tunisia – the northernmost point of Africa – on Thursday evening.
He hopes to cross the finish line later today in Ras Angela, where he will be joined by supporters on the home straight. He has raised £615,000 for charity so far, donating over £250,000 in the past seven days thanks to his loyal following.
Last night he posted on Instagram to his 901,000 followers: ‘16,250km. 351 days. 385 marathons. 16 countries. £574,000 raised for charity. We’ve come a long way. One last push for the record books tomorrow.’
Cook, who began his remarkable journey in April 2023 at Cape Agulhas, South Africa, says he will be the first person to ever travel the full length of Africa if he completes the challenge.
But not only has the journey been a testament to mental and physical strength, the Cook has also been robbed at gunpoint, taken hostage and almost forced to abandon the challenge after being left at the Mauritanian border without a visa.
Russ Cook was met by supporters as he approached the finish line in Tunisia
He is pictured heading to Ras Angela in Tunisia as he attempts to become the first person to walk across Africa
His supporters have donned fake red beards as they wait for him to pass by
Cook describes himself as ‘Worthing’s Hardest Geezer’ and has endured many challenges
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He had originally hoped to complete the mega-distance in 240 days, but several obstacles delayed his finish by about 100 days.
While traveling through Angola some 2,000 miles away, he was ambushed by armed thugs.
Cook claimed his support van was ambushed by “desperate guys with guns” and that the gunmen stole his team’s cameras, cellphones and some passports, as well as wads of cash.
He added that none of his crew was injured in the armed robbery.
He was then ‘kidnapped’ by a gang of men armed with machetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo in August.
He documented the ordeal on social media: ‘Trying to find the boys in a village on the Plan B route, I came across a rural settlement where the chief told me to give him money. I didn’t have one,” the runner wrote on day 107.
He added: “So that went well. Soon I was surrounded by a lot of gaming guys with machetes. Was escorted out of the village into the bush.
‘I emptied my bag to show that I had nothing but a half-eaten cookie. I gave it to them and fled. I spent the next few hours stumbling through overgrown jungle trails. I tried to stay off all tracks until I was far away.
Russ Cook, 26 from Worthing, West Sussex, nicknamed ‘Worthing’s Hardest Geezer’, started the challenge 351 days ago
He hopes to cross the finish line later today, where he will be joined by supporters on the home straight
He had originally hoped to complete the mega distance in 240 days, but several obstacles delayed his finish by about 100 days
Cook claimed his support vehicle was ambushed by “desperate guys with guns” and that the gunmen stole his team’s cameras, cellphones and some passports.
He was then ‘kidnapped’ by a gang of men armed with machetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo in August
Russ Cook is depicted after enduring the ordeal of being robbed at gunpoint by thugs during his extraordinary run
‘I reached the village on the plan B route and discovered that the road was again impassable for the support van. Exhausted and dehydrated, I started to head back to the last known place with passable roads when two guys on a bike stopped.
‘They didn’t speak English, but they tried to communicate. I have to come with them to get back to my friends.
‘What happened next was a seven-hour motorcycle ride deeper into the jungle. In my head I thought this was it. Me. The self-proclaimed toughest guy. They are about to be held in a gulag in Congo before being dismembered and eaten limb by limb.”
Fortunately, Cook was driven into a village and moved to a hut, where he remembered a group of men arguing about what to do with him and discussing how much money he owed them.
After some back-and-forth negotiations, he was able to contact his team, who spent the next few days formulating a rescue plan.
Cook eventually managed to escape, and despite most people’s expectations that he would catch the first flight home, he returned to his starting point that day and walked another 60 km on a new route.
He has also dealt with several illnesses, including blood in his urine and crippling back pain.
In January, his entire mission was nearly stranded after he failed to obtain a visa allowing him to enter Algeria.
He raises money for The Running Charity, which supports the mental health of young people with complex needs or who are homeless, and Sandblast, which educates people about Sahrawi culture.
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.
In a video on social media, Cook said the success of his challenge was now dependent 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 been running for 278 days, covering almost 12,000km (7,456 miles) across 13 countries and raising over £140,000 for charity in my bid to become the first person ever to walk 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, please 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 was 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.”
His social campaign worked and the Algerian embassy said they would grant him a courtesy visa ‘on the spot’, meaning he could cross the border.
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 his attempts to test 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.
He raises money for The Running Charity, which supports the mental health of young people with complex needs or who are homeless, and Sandblast, which educates people about Sahrawi culture.
You can donate to his cause here.