Hardest Geezer Russ Cook begins running length of New Zealand
A man who ran the entire length of Africa has begun his latest challenge – running the full length of New Zealand.Russ Cook, nicknamed Hardest Geezer, completed his previous endurance challenge in April last year after 352 days.The 27-year-old, from Worthing, West Sussex, plans to run the 1,864 mile (3,000km) Te Araroa Trail, which will see him take on 60 ultramarathons while navigating mountains, forests, coastlines and cities."The incredible, warm welcome I've received so far has already given me a glimpse of how special the journey ahead of me will be," he said.
He has begun the challenge at Stirling Point in Bluff - the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island - and will run northbound for about 60 days to the finish line in Cape Rēinga, in Northland.Mr Cook said he expected to climb the equivalent of approximately 10 Mount Everests in elevation over approximately the next 10 weeks. During the challenge, he is also due to bungee jump off Auckland Harbour Bridge, canyon swing in Queenstown and sky dive in Abel Tasman.
He said he was excited to be "back on the road again" in his first major expedition since running the length of Africa."If anything, from my experiences before in Africa, it has made me more finely attuned to the risks that I can take and the risks that I can't take," he said."A lot of personal growth is done in those little uncomfortable spots."You're not totally 100% sure, but you go for it anyway, and you make it happen, and that's when you learn."
Mr Cook raised more than £1m for charity during his previous challenge in Africa, despite complications with visas, health scares, geopolitical issues and an armed robbery.The extreme challenge began at South Africa's most southerly point on 22 April 2023, and finished more than 10,190 miles (16,400km) north in Tunisia.The ultramarathon runner said he planned to continue living adventurously for as long as his body allowed."When I'm older, when the body's keeled over a bit, I expect I'll pick up where I left off," he said.
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ITV News
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Worthing's ‘Hardest Geezer' finishes 2,343km run along length of New Zealand
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Leader Live
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‘Hardest Geezer' finishes 2,343km run along length of New Zealand
The 28-year-old from West Sussex ran 2,434km (1,512 miles) in 73 days and crossed the finish line at Cape Reinga, the northern-most point of the North Island on Thursday. Mr Cook's route, which started at Stirling Point in Bluff at the southern tip of the South Island in March, took him across mountains, native forests, cities and coastlines. 'New Zealand gave me a proper hiding at times; brutal trails, wild weather and more than a few wobbly moments, but it's also one of the most welcoming, stunning places I've ever run through,' Mr Cook said after the run. 'From the mountains to the coast, it's got some serious variety – and the people made it even better. 'I hope everyone that's after a bit of adventure, can come and experience it here.' Mr Cook faced setbacks including a shin muscle injury but also clocked his fastest ever time for running 100km, taking just 11 hours. He said he went through seven pairs of shoes, ate hundreds of pies and climbed 'a bucket-load of mountains'. Mr Cook's adventure was in partnership with 100% Pure New Zealand, a Tourism New Zealand promotion, and allowed him to experience some of the country's visitor attractions including the Milford Sound fiord and a helicopter ride over the tallest peak, Mount Cook/Aoraki. 'The people, the landscapes, the raw beauty, this experience has been nothing short of life-changing' Mr Cook added. Mr Cook has taken on a number of ambitious challenges over the last few years, including running from Istanbul in Turkey to Worthing in West Sussex in 2019. He also set a world record in 2020 for the fastest marathon run while pulling a car, in nine hours and 56 minutes. The endurance athlete has raised more than £1 million for charity from his Africa challenge in which he covered 16,000km, taking some 19 million steps on the journey through 16 countries. Mr Cook says he plans to continue living adventurously as long as his body allows. 'When I'm older, when the body's keeled over a bit, I expect I'll pick up where I left off,' he said.
