Russ Cook, better known as the “Hardest Geezer,” is a British athlete and the first person to run the entire length of Africa from the southernmost to the northernmost point of the continent. His journey, named Project Africa, began on 22nd April 2023 in Cape Town in South Africa and... Read more
I Ran the Entire Length of Africa
Russ Cook (Hardest Geezer): I Haven't Told The Whole Truth About Africa!
Russ Cook, better known as the “Hardest Geezer,” is a British athlete and the first person to run the entire length of Africa from the southernmost to the northernmost point of the continent.
His journey, named Project Africa, began on 22nd April 2023 in Cape Town in South Africa and ended on 7th April 2024 in Ras Angela in Tunisia. During this time, Russ crossed 16 countries and covered a total of 16,000 km (9,900 miles). The journey was not without its challenges with Russ experiencing everything from kidnap and robbery to food poisoning along the way.
Russ has been open about his mental health struggles in the past and Project Africa was not only a personal achievement but also to raise money for two charities – The Running Charity and Sandblast.
The Running Charity is a charity which harnesses the power of running to help people experiencing homelessness or managing complex needs. Sandblast is a charity providing educational events about Saharawi people and culture through the arts in the UK and creative and skills development projects in the Saharawi refugee camps to promote talent, knowledge, self-reliance and support links.
Project Africa became a global sensation towards the end with media outlets across the world covering the story. Two weeks after he completed the journey, Russ was invited by the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, for a run around Westminster.
Project Africa was not Russ’s first endeavour. In 2019, he ran from Istanbul to England in 68 days with no support team and in 2020, he set the world record for the fastest marathon whilst pulling a car in 9hrs 56 mins. In 2021, he was buried alive for 7 days with just 20 litres of water.
In 2025, Russ completed running the length of New Zealand, taking 73 days.
Russ’s grit and resilience are entirely unique and he hopes to inspire young people to get involved in similar sporting challenges!
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Russell Cook speaks on Health, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Sports, Wellbeing. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Russell to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Russell Cook for events worldwide, subject to Russell's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Russell Cook is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Russell can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Russell Cook on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Russell can offer.
Russell Cook delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Russell Cook's areas of expertise include Health, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Sports, Wellbeing. To get a clear sense of Russell's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Russell Cook can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Health, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Sports, Wellbeing is relevant. Details of Russell's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
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We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Russell Cook, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Russell's current availability for your dates.