Cross-country running is a coveted sport. But some athletes can take things to a whole different level. For Russ “Hardest Geezer” Cook, running the entire length of the African continent was a lifelong dream which he has finally achieved after continuously pushing boundaries for a whole year. In April 2023, the British runner set off on the 10,130-mile run, which he completed hours ago as he reached Tunisia. While his 352-day saga is definitely one for the history books, it certainly isn’t something American fans are alien to.

The world was stunned in 2016, as another Englishman by the name of Robert Pope went on to run over 15,000 miles to do multiple complete runs across the USA. Taking a cue from the iconic life of the popular fictional character Forrest Gump, Pope went all out to fulfil his longtime dream.

Russ Cook’s predecessor made the world stand in awe

According to an old The Guardian article, Robert Pope found an inkling toward cross-country running during his childhood, which found incredible support from his mother Cathy. After her death from cancer in 2002, Pope couldn’t let go of the idea of doing something that had never been done before. Quitting his job and heading to the United States with one thought: to retrace the footsteps of Forrest Gump as best as he could. And what an attempt that turned out to be.

Before her passing, Cathy told her son to do something with his life “that makes a difference“, and Rob couldn’t ignore his mother’s wishes. Draping himself with a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co cap to Nike Cortex sneakers, Pope made sure his fit resembled that of Gump’s and then started to run. And yet, Pope maintains that the starting line of a Marathon race is far more intimidating than any cross-country ambition he’s ever had.

While the challenge was significant, Pope stated that he just “didn’t entertain the idea of quitting“. Raising money during his run for charities, Pope realized the one thing that’s “coolest about America: the people“. While his experience changed his life forever, many believe Russ Cook will also be back after a well-deserved hiatus.

Cook to get back into action soon

Cook’s run across the African nations hasn’t been trouble-free, to say the least. Having experienced being robbed at gunpoint, troubles with visas, and health scares, the British runner still managed to raise $978,000 for charity. After completing his ambitious run, Russ claimed he was “keen to chill out“. However, he indicated that more things are in order as his plans for the future are elaborate as well. Ahead of his start, he was advised about the possible dangers of the run, which he triumphed over in a glorious manner. Albeit feeling “little bit tired“, Russ said “a whole list of ideas” is already in motion.

“The human machine can do remarkable things and is also incredibly resilient“, is the realization Cook came up with after completing his run. With the 27-year-old finding renewed enthusiasm for long-distance running, it waits to be seen what more major feats await him in the near future.

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