He was robbed at gunpoint and kidnapped by machete-wielding thugs in the jungle.
But extreme marathon runner and self-proclaimed ‘toughest’ Russ Cook is set to become the first person to cover the whole of Africa on foot if he completes his incredible 9,500-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 in Ras Angela today, where he will be joined by supporters for the final stretch. He has so far raised £615,000 for charity, with more than £250,000 donated in the last seven days driven by his loyal supporters.
Last night, he posted to his 901,000 followers on Instagram: “16,250 km. 351 days. 385 marathons. 16 countries. £574,000 raised for charity. We have come a long way. A final effort tomorrow for the record books.
Cook, who began his remarkable journey in Cape Agulhas, South Africa, in April 2023, says he will be the first person to travel all of Africa if he completes the challenge.
But not only was this trip a testament to his mental and physical strength, but he was also robbed at gunpoint, held hostage and almost forced to stop the challenge after ending up without a visa at the Mauritanian border.
Russ Cook greeted by supporters as he approaches the finish line in Tunisia
He is seen heading to Ras Angela in Tunisia as he attempts to become the first person to travel all of Africa.
His supporters sport fake red beards while waiting for his passage.
Cook describes himself as “the toughest of men” and has overcome many challenges.
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Initially, he hoped to cover the mega distance in 240 days, but various obstacles delayed his arrival by around 100 days.
As he crossed Angola, about 1,800 miles into his journey, he was attacked by armed thugs.
Cook claimed his support van was attacked by “desperate armed guys” and that the gunmen stole his team’s cameras, mobile phones and some passports, as well as wads of cash.
He added that no member of his crew was injured during the armed robbery.
Then, in August, he was “kidnapped” by a gang of men armed with machetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He documented this ordeal on social media: “While trying to find the boys in a village on the road to plan B, I came across a rural village where the chief told me I had to give him money . I didn’t have one,” the runner wrote on day 107.
He added: “So it went well. Very quickly, I found myself surrounded by many players armed with machetes. Was escorted out of the village into the bush.
“I emptied my bag to show I had nothing but a half-eaten cookie. I gave it to them and ran. I spent the next few hours hiking trails overgrown with jungle. I was trying to stay away from any trace until I was far away.
Russ Cook, 26 from Worthing, West Sussex, nicknamed ‘Worthing’s toughest’, started the challenge 351 days ago.
He hopes to cross the finish line later today, where he will be joined by supporters for the final stretch.
Originally, he hoped to cover the mega distance in 240 days, but various obstacles delayed his arrival by around 100 days.
Cook claimed his support van was attacked by “desperate guys with guns” and that the gunmen stole his team’s cameras, cell phones and some passports.
Then, in August, he was “kidnapped” by a gang of men armed with machetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Russ Cook is pictured after enduring the ordeal of being robbed at gunpoint by thugs during his extraordinary run
“I arrived at the village on the plan B route to find that the road was also impassable again for the support van. Exhausted and dehydrated, I started heading back towards the last known place with passable roads when two guys arrived on bikes.
“They didn’t speak English but were trying to communicate. I have to come with them to meet my friends.
“What happened next was a seven-hour motorcycle ride deeper into the jungle. In my head, I thought that was it. Me. Self-proclaimed toughest guy. About to be held in a Congo gulag before being torn limb from limb and eaten.
Fortunately, Cook was taken to a village and moved into a hut where he remembered a group of men arguing over what to do with him and discussing how much money he owed them.
After a few discussions, he managed to contact his team who spent the following days developing a rescue plan.
Cook eventually managed to escape, and despite most people’s expectation that he would take the first flight home, he returned to his starting point that day and ran another 60 km on a new itinerary.
At the same time, he faced multiple illnesses, including blood in his urine and debilitating back pain.
Then, in January, his entire mission almost failed after he failed to obtain a visa allowing him to enter Algeria.
It raises funds for The Running Charity, which supports the mental health of young people with complex needs or who are homeless, and Sandblast, which raises awareness of Sahrawi culture.
The athlete, who describes himself as a former “fat boy” with drinking and gambling problems, was introduced to long-distance running when he participated in a half marathon at the age of 21 years old.
In a video posted on social media, Cook said the success of his challenge now depended on Algerian authorities granting him entry.
“Okay, girls and boys, we have a little problem. We couldn’t get visas for Algeria, and if we don’t get them, it’s over for the Africa project,” he said.
“I’ve now been running for 278 days, have covered almost 12,000km (7,456 miles) across 13 countries and raised over £140,000 for charity in my bid to become the first person to run the entire length of Africa.
“But at the moment, all of this is totally dependent on our ability to get authorization from Algeria to let us pass through this border with Mauritania,” he said.
“This is the only option left to us, so, Algeria, if you are listening to me, please contact me. If you need us, let me know,” he added, addressing the Algerian authorities. “It would be an absolute privilege to visit your beautiful country.
“To everyone following the trip online, please help us by sharing this and helping us get it to the right people in Algeria.”
Tim Loughton, Conservative MP for East Worthing, said he had received Cook’s video and offered to help by contacting the Foreign Office.
“Russ… I was sent this and I assume you’re from East Worthing,” he said.
“Can you email me some details and we will do our best to help you through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Algerian Embassy. »
His social campaign bore fruit and the Algerian embassy announced that it would grant him a courtesy visa “on the spot”, which would allow him to cross the border.
The athlete, who describes himself as a former “fat boy” with drinking and gambling problems, was introduced to long-distance running when he participated in a half marathon at the age of 21 years old.
Since then, he has gained a reputation for attempting tests of 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.
It raises funds for The Running Charity, which supports the mental health of young people with complex needs or who are homeless, and Sandblast, which raises awareness of Sahrawi culture.
You can donate to his cause here.
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