Man running length of Africa to run at night

A man running the length of Africa is to run at night to avoid the heat of the Sahara Desert.

Russell Cook, from Worthing, West Sussex, had originally planned to complete 360 marathons in 240 days.

After complications with his visas, health scares, geopolitical issues, and an armed robbery, the 26-year-old was forced to change his route, extending the challenge.

Mr Cook said he would begin running at 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT) and finish at about 05:00 (04:00 GMT) to reduce the time spent in the sunshine and wind.

“It’s less of a strain, and it means that I should either reduce the risk of injury or increase the chance of being able to run further,” he said.

Asked whether he minded about missing out on the scenery, he said: “I don’t really care about the views. I care about getting to Tunisia. I’ve got a whole lifetime for the views.”

The extreme challenge began at South Africa's most southerly point on 22 April 2023 and is due to finish at Tunisia's most northerly point on 7 April.

Mr Cook, nicknamed "Hardest Geezer", had originally aimed to cover 9,320 miles (14,500km) during the challenge, crossing 16 borders, but extended the mission due to complications.

He has been running for more than 310 days and is currently in Mauritania.

The challenge is in aid of The Running Charity and has raised £190,555 so far.