Introduction
In the annals of history, there have been many remarkable physical feats that have captivated the world's imagination: from summiting Everest to breaking the 2-hour marathon barrier. Yet, by becoming the first person ever to run the entire length of Africa, I think Russ Cook (The Hardest Geezer) has just placed himself amongst the greatest athletes and explorers of all time. Here’s why.
Greatest Physical Feats in History
In order to contextualise the achievements of Russ Cook, we need to take a look at the existing competition. Here are a few notable examples of how humans have continually pushed the boundaries of what is physically possible:
Sir Edmund Hilary & Tenzing Norgay
In 1953, Kiwi explorer Sir Edmund Hillary and Tibetan climber Tenzing Norgay were the first confirmed people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest peak on the planet.
Felix Baumgartner
In October 2012, the Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner made history by jumping from a balloon at an altitude of 39,045 km, landing safely after a nine-minute descent. He not only set a new record for the highest parachute jump ever (39km), but became the first human to break the sound barrier without engine power, reaching a speed of 1357 km/hr.
Eliud Kipchoge
In October 2019, Eliud Kipchoge became the first human ever to run a marathon in under two hours. He finished in 1:59:40, holding a sub-4:34 pace for the 26.2 miles.
Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja & Kristin Harila
In 2019, Nims Purja and his team set a new record for the fastest ascent of the 14 highest peaks in world, in the space of 6 months and 6 days. In July, 2023, Norwegian mountaineer Kristin Harila then beat his record, achieving this incredible feat in just 92 days.
Who is The World’s Hardest Geezer?
Most people would consider running a single marathon the pinnacle of fitness – but not Russ Cook. Prior to his Project Africa challenge, Russ was best known for running from Asia to London in 2019. During the challenge, he completed 71 marathons in 66 days, travelling from Istanbul to Worthing and passing through a total of 11 countries. He’s also completed a marathon on crutches, ran a marathon while drinking a beer after each mile, and was buried alive for a week just for good measure.
Last year, the 27-year-old decided he wanted to become the first person ever to run the entire length of Africa. The extreme challenge began at South Africa's most southerly point on 22 April, 2023, and finished 352 days later in Tunisia, more than 10,000 miles away. This is the equivalent of 385 marathons in 352 days, requiring 30 pairs of trainers.
The Greatest of All Time?
For me, running the entire length of Africa is just next level, regardless. However, the context in which it was done is also important here. As far as I’m aware, Russ completed Project Africa with a skeleton team and one support truck. They weren’t bankrolled by any massive companies, and were ignored by the mainstream media for the majority of the trip. This was the ultimate underdog story. Resultantly, the team were robbed at various stages (including at gunpoint), Russ experienced severe food poisoning to the extent he was pissing blood, and they very nearly got rejected entry to Algeria. Therefore, given the amateurish nature underpinning the entire endeavour, buoyed on by sheer determination alone, I think this surpasses all of the feats previously listed.
Summary
In my mind, by running the entire length of Africa, in the manner in which he did, Russ Cook has achieved one of the greatest physical feats in living memory. With the odds continually stacked against him, it took an incomprehensible amount of grit and determination to wake up every day and crack a casual marathon in the relentless African heat for the best part of a year. As a fellow ginger, the UV exposure alone gives me the fear, before you even consider the actual running component on the task…