Brit ultramarathon ‘hardest geezer’ robbed at gunpoint in horrror ordeal while running 9,000-mile length of Africa
A BRITISH ultramarathon runner was robbed at gunpoint while attempting to cross the entire length of Africa.
Russell Cook known as the “Hardest Geezer” was targeted by an armed gang in Angola, during his 9000-mile journey.
After completing 1800 miles of his race, Russell said his van was attacked by “desperate blokes with guns” and that the thugs stole his team’s cameras, phones, passports and cash.
Describing the horrific ordeal he said on social media: “Nothing like a gun being pointed at your face to let you know you’re alive. Lively one today.
“Ferocious 1’s & 2’s all morning. Met the boys for a lunch break.
“Chatting our usual dribble in the van like any other day when a couple lads popped open the side door and demanded everything we have.
“Desperate blokes with guns pointed. Infamously bad situation to find yourself on the end of. Proper spot of bother. Damage limitation.”
The runner noted that no one from his crew got injured and thanked his followers for their support.
In a new update he tweeted: “Vibes took a bit of a beat down from yesterday’s antics but the only way to get out of this is to keep going.
“Hard times? Yes sir. Back for more? Absolutely.”
The incident happened during Russell’s quest to “become the first person ever to run the full length of Africa,” as he says in his bio, while raising money for charity.
The race, which is about 9000 miles- from the tip of South Africa all the way to Tunisia.
The athlete from Worthing in West Sussex hopes to run a marathon every day till Christmas without any breaks or rest days.
He is expected to complete his quest, called Project Africa, next year after crossing 16 countries and going through some of the most hostile environments on the planet- including jungles and rainforests.
He has already passed through South Africa and Namibia and is now in Angola.
He still needs to pass through the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, and Algeria before arriving in Tunisia to complete his journey.
Speaking about his quest he wrote on social media: “Project Africa is about lots of things. It’s about a seeing how far I can push my limits.
“It’s about throwing everything and the kitchen sink at life. It’s about learning & sharing cultures and showing people that dreams don’t always have to stay dreams.
“It’s about creating an impact that goes beyond just one geezer running across a continent.”