Hardest Geezer eyes next record-breaking challenge after running length of Africa: ‘South America is too easy’

Russ Cook, 27, truly lived up to his nickname by running a whopping 9,940 miles in 352 days

The Hardest Geezer may already have set his sights on his next record-breaking challenge having just spent a year running the length of Africa .

Russ Cook, 27, truly lived up to his nickname by running a whopping 9,940 miles in 352 days – raising over £865,000 for charity in the process.

The runner began his quest in South Africa and eventually got to celebrate by sitting on an extravagant gold throne with a strawberry daiquiri when he reached his final destination of Tunisia.

These locations were chosen as they are home to Africa’s most southerly and northern points.

But despite only finishing his run on Sunday (April 7), Russ has today revealed that he’s already thinking about his next challenge.

Russ celebrating as he passes the finish line. (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“I’m not sure what’s next, but I will be looking to push the limits even further,” Cook, from West Sussex, told Good Morning Britain.

“I don’t want to give my cards away too early. Round the world is difficult one. [A few people claim to have done it], but there is a lot of sea and I’m not Jesus.”

While the prospect of South America was suggested to Cook, he admitted that it seemed like ‘too easy’ a challenge and he wants to go even bigger.

Russ ran the equivalent of 360 marathons. (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Russ said he was motivated by thoughts of home while on the epic journey, which equated to the length of over 360 marathons.

He was inspired to keep going by his girlfriend, sausage rolls, and the prospect going out for a curry with his friends - the latter of which he plans to do this weekend.

“I got straight off the plane yesterday and had a sausage roll, double cheeseburger, pizza, and ice cream - all in one go,” he joked.

If Russ does take on another bigger challenge, this won’t be the first time he has done it.

After realising he was good at running, he made the journey from Istanbul to London and it was then that he got the idea to run the length of Africa.

Russ celebrated his victory by sitting on a gold throne. (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

But before he begins his next journey, Russ is hoping his original fundraiser will hit the million pound mark.

He said: “We are rising money for two charities - the first one is The Running Charity which tries to engage people in sport right here in the UK.

“The second one is Sandblast, who do work in the Saharah - there’s a refugeee camp with 100,000 people in it and no know knows about it and they run educational and cultural programs there.”

While Russ claims he is the now first person to have run the length of Africa, it has been disputed by the World Runners Association (WRA).

They have claimed that their member Jesper Kenn Olsen, from Denmark, achieved the feat in 2010.

However, his run from Taba, Egypt, to the Cape of Good Hope was admittedly shorter than Cook’s at 7,948-miles long.

Russ has been declared the fasted person to complete the feat - if not the first. (REUTERS)

“This is more about getting the facts correct and therefore, it’s very nice that a lot of media were quite quick to pick up on that there was something to research on this,” Olsen said.

“For me, it’s not so much about whether I’m the first or second or what have you, because obviously, for us, the main thing is the runs around the world.

“It’s much more important that you keep the honour than whether you are number one, two or three.

“However, as far as I understand, he’s definitely the fastest.”

Olsen added that he is not claiming to be the first person to have run the length of Africa either.

That honour may lie with Briton Nick Bourne, who ran the 6,200 mile distance from South Africa to Egypt in 1998, as reported by the BBC at the time.