Man Completes Africa-round Marathon, Raises Over A Million Euros for Charity
Picture© NBC News
After 352 days, Russell Cook, popularly known as the “Hardest Geezer,” completed a race around the whole length of Africa. The 27-year-old started his charity-driven race on the 22nd of April, 2023 and crossed the finish line on the 7th of April, 2024, with over One Million Euros($1.24m) raised.
Russell Cook 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.Mr. Cook embarked on the arduous journey from South Africa’s southernmost point, concluding over 10,190 miles (16,400km) north in Tunisia. Initially intending to finish 360 marathons in 240 days, he prolonged the endeavor due to unforeseen difficulties. Reflecting on his life prior to departure, he expressed a desire to confront his past struggles with mental health, gambling, and alcohol, aiming for a future free of regrets.
As though completing the onerous task was not impressive enough, Mr Cook’s feat put broad smiles on countless faces with the charity funds raised from the race. The ultra runner, who went through 30 pairs of trainers throughout the challenge, raised money for The Running Charity and Sandblast. The Running Charity aims to harness the power of running to support young people experiencing homelessness or complex needs, while Sandblast runs educational programmes in refugee camps in Algeria. With both organisations founded in 2012 and 2005 respectively, they’ve helped thousands of homeless children in Africa, and numerous Sahrawi refugees along the way.