Earlier than he set off on the mammoth problem to run your entire size of Africa, Russell Cook dinner stated he hoped to look again at his life and haven’t any regrets.
The 27-year-old from Worthing, West Sussex, stated he had struggled along with his psychological well being, playing and ingesting, and needed to “make a distinction”.
Greater than 10,190 miles (16,400km), 352 days, 16 international locations and numerous issues later, the person nicknamed “Hardest Geezer” has raised greater than £550,000 for charity and is about to finish his ultimate run.
A change of plans
Loads has modified since Mr Cook dinner set off from Worthing, West Sussex, in February 2023.
His preliminary plan to run from Tunisia to South Africa, finishing 360 marathons in 240 days with no relaxation days, was quickly halted by an absence of an Algerian visa – a hindrance that may later resurface.
However after a last-minute swap, Mr Cook dinner set off working north from South Africa’s most southerly level on 22 April – a journey that may take him by cities, rainforests, mountains and the Sahara Desert.
Armed theft
After ticking off South Africa and Namibia in 50 days, Mr Cook dinner encountered his first main setback – an armed theft.
He and his assist workforce had cameras, telephones, money, passports and visas stolen in Angola on 24 June.
Nevertheless, as with many obstacles he would face all through the problem, the ultrarunner vowed to soldier on.
Well being scares
Constantly working greater than a marathon a day started to take its toll.
After some minor tummy troubles within the early weeks, Mr Cook dinner was compelled to take his first relaxation day after medical doctors discovered blood and protein in his urine on day 45.
Nevertheless it was recurring again ache that precipitated essentially the most concern.
On day 200, Mr Cook dinner was compelled to cut back his mileage and depth on the request of a physician in Nigeria – even lacking consecutive days on day 205 and 206.
However in true Hardest Geezer fashion, he was to not be stopped.
“I took a few days to get some scans. No bone harm so figured the one possibility left was to cease mincing about like a bit weasel, get the strongest painkillers obtainable and zombie stomp highway once more,” he stated on the time.
Visa points
After overcoming the whole lot in his path, it was a single piece of paper – an Algerian visa – that forged doubt over your entire problem on day 278.
Mr Cook dinner was compelled to halt whereas he waited to seek out out his destiny as as to if he might safe permission to cross the border into Algeria from Mauritania.
“If we do not get the visas, then it’s recreation over,” he stated on the time.
His public enchantment video on X, previously Twitter, was seen by 11 million folks – even catching the eye of the positioning’s proprietor Elon Musk, in addition to MPs Tim Loughton and Alexander Stafford and the House Workplace.
The elevated consideration on the problem ultimately paid off because the UK’s Algerian embassy introduced he would obtain a courtesy visa on the spot.
The ultimate stretch
After the setbacks, all that separated Mr Cook dinner and the end line was the small process of the Sahara Desert.
The tarmac roads ran out, as did the sign and any indicators of civilisation. However an finish date was set: 7 April, 2024.
Ramping up his mileage to make up for misplaced time, Mr Cook dinner made the choice to run by the night time because of the intense daytime warmth and sandstorms.
Social gathering time
Months became weeks, and weeks became days. And at last, on Sunday afternoon, Mr Cook dinner will lace his trainers one final time – not less than for now – as he units off for Tunisia’s most northerly level.
Joined by supporters from the world over for the ultimate marathon, Mr Cook dinner will full the problem.
The celebrations will go lengthy into the night time – helped by a ending get together efficiency by British punk band Comfortable Play, previously Slaves, at a resort in Bizerte.
And the Hardest Geezer will lastly get his palms on the one factor he has been craving since day one – a strawberry daiquiri.
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