‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook dinner reveals scariest second from epic run throughout Africa | World Information

“The Hardest Geezer” has revealed the scariest second from his gruelling 352-day run throughout the entire size of Africa.

In a information convention, Russ Cook dinner mentioned that – out of the 16 international locations he visited throughout his 9,941-mile journey – he was most afraid “within the Congo on the again of a motorcycle, pondering I used to be about to die”.

He had gone lacking and was separated from his supporters for days within the jungle, however was finally freed after villagers armed with machetes have been paid off.

In the meantime, in Angola, he and his group have been robbed at gunpoint – with cameras, telephones and passports stolen.

The 27-year-old – who went via 30 pairs of trainers throughout his quest – has already raised £700,000 for good causes and is aiming to hit £1m.

Donations will go in the direction of supporting younger folks going via onerous instances – in addition to academic and cultural programmes in Algerian refugee camps.

When requested what motivated him as he ran the equal distance of 379 marathons, Cook dinner mentioned his household – and the legacy he’ll go on if he has kids – was a driving pressure.

“I would love for extra folks to be impressed or motivated to exit working,” he added.

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In the course of the dwell Q&A session, he was additionally requested about behind-the-scenes logistics from his mammoth journey… together with how he washed.

“Not fairly often,” Cook dinner quipped – including that all the things from rivers, lakes, bucket baths and a makeshift bathe on the again of a 4×4 have been used to keep up primary hygiene, in addition to the odd lodge if he was fortunate.

There have been some extra light-hearted questions too, with curious journalists questioning what his favorite film is.

Combat Membership, Interstellar and the romcom About Time made the listing… however Forrest Gump – the place Tom Hanks’s character runs throughout the US for 3 years, two months, 14 days and 16 hours – did not.

Working group challenges Cook dinner’s declare

Whereas the endurance athlete’s enormous achievement of taking 19 million steps hasn’t been disputed, the World Runners Affiliation has questioned Cook dinner’s declare that he’s the primary particular person to run the size of Africa.

The WRA consists of seven athletes who’ve efficiently circumnavigated the world on foot – and it argues that considered one of its members, Denmark’s Jesper Kenn Olsen, was truly the primary to finish this problem again in 2010.

Phil Essam, the affiliation’s president, mentioned: “Mr Olsen ran via Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa. He hereby fulfilled the factors for a full-length run throughout Africa.”