He ran more than 16,000 kilometers, from south to north Africa for his “Project Africa”. The Briton Russ Cook must conclude this crazy adventure this Sunday evening in Tunisia and become the first person to have crossed the African continent by running. Russ Cook, 27, is due to arrive at Cape Angela, in the far north of Tunisia. He left the southern tip of South Africa on April 22, 2023 for his “Project Africa”.
Between the two, he crossed sixteen African countries, covering more than 16,250 kilometers, the equivalent of 385 marathons in 351 days. This man, nicknamed “Hardest geezer” (the toughest guy) ran in mountains, tropical forests, deserts, including of course the Sahara.
“We have come a long way”
“I can’t believe it’s almost over,” he wrote on the social network Sunday morning. Several people accompanied him for his last kilometers. “We have come a long way,” he also wrote on Saturday, modestly.
He will arrive at Cape Angela with a long red beard, which he has not cut for months. His crossing of Africa was not a long, quiet river. After traveling through South Africa and Namibia in fifty days, he and his team were robbed. Cameras, phones, cash, passports were stolen in Angola.
He also had to interrupt his running for a few days due to physical pain. In the Sahara, he had to run at night to avoid the extreme heat. Russ Cook managed to raise more than 574,000 pounds sterling (668,730 euros) which he will donate to the British charity Running Charity, which helps homeless young people.
“I am a completely normal man”
Before his departure, in February 2023, he explained to the British agency PA that his goal was to make the most of life. “I’m a completely normal guy, so if I can do this, I hope people can apply that to their own lives, in whatever way they choose,” he said.
“For 99% of people, it won’t be about running across Africa, but maybe chasing their dreams a little more.” He did not plan to rest when he arrived at Cape Angela. A party is announced and he has already planned to enjoy a Daiquiri.