‘Right glute tighter than Ryanair’s baggage allowance’ – tough start for Hardest Geezer in New Zealand

Russ Cook – also known as the ‘Hardest Geezer’ – admits the start to his latest challenge has been “a shock to the system”.

Cook rewrote the record books by running the entire length of Africa over 352 days in 2023 and 2024 and is now in the early stages of racking up 3,000km in New Zealand.

That’s by covering the whole of the Te Araroa Trail, which will see him take on 60 ultramarathons back-to-back, with a staggering total elevation gain of 300,000ft (91,440m) – or 10 Mt Everests!

First few days ‘an absolute slog’

It all got under way this week and the scale of the task is already evident as he posted on social media: “Safe to say the trail has been dishing out some early lessons.

“Turns out, too much time out after Africa didn’t do me any favours, just makes the first few days back an absolute slog.

“Legs are pure soggy weetabix. The wind from that beach section nearly sent me into orbit. Right glute is tighter than Ryanair’s baggage allowance.

“But that’s the game. Every adventure starts with a shock to the system. The body complains, the mind wobbles, and for a moment, I wonder why I didn’t just pick a nice little hobby like table tennis.”

Step by step

The 27-year-old from Worthing is following in the footsteps of Barkley Marathons finisher Karel Sabbe of Belgium who just last month set an incredible fastest known time of just under 32 days for the same route.

Cook will be taking a little longer and he’s relishing what lies ahead, adding: “Then I remember, this is exactly what I came for. To take on the adventure, the unknown, to soak in those little moments of beauty in between the suffering.

“The trail ahead is long, but the only way is forward. One foot in front of the other.”