The route is approximately 14,500 kilometers long. Cook had actually envisioned being at the finish line by Christmas. But the problems on the journey north have piled up: Cook peed blood and was diagnosed with kidney stones. Cook and the assistants were robbed by an armed group. The trip was put on hold for two weeks due to bureaucratic problems in Angola. He has had food poisoning several times. Nevertheless, he continues the trip. He is now in Cameroon. Yesterday he ran 60.5 kilometers. JOURNEY: The mood varies on the run north in Africa. Here he cheers for one of the photographers who follows him north. Photo: Stan Gaskell / @cameramanstan_ The encirclement of the machete gang news has spoken to Stan Gaskell, who works as a photographer on the trip. He says that the expedition has been attempted several times, and that in August it seemed to go completely wrong. They struggled to cross a border in the Congo, and Cook ran alone in the jungle while the support apparatus was in a completely different place. To Good Morning Britain, Cook describes this as “the most dangerous day of my life”. – I dug my way through narrow jungle paths that were completely overgrown. It was complete chaos, and suddenly I came to a village that apparently doesn’t get visited very often, says Cook. Then it quickly became a very heated atmosphere. – The head of the village came towards me and spoke in a local language. He openly asked for money and became more and more aggressive. I tried to convince him that I had no money, but gradually more and more people came. He felt that the whole village surrounded him. – Several people came with machetes, so I just ran away to the jungle. I have heard similar stories about how this ends. How was I supposed to get out of this? But Russ Cook escaped into the woods, and eventually made contact with the support apparatus. The tumults in the Congo added to the series of near-death experiences. Rana in Angola After two months of travel and several thousand kilometers in the legs, Cook was sitting in the van eating lunch when an armed group appeared outside the car. – Nothing like having a gun pointed at your face, Cook wrote on Twitter. – None of us were killed or injured, they didn’t get us out of the van. But we were robbed of much of our equipment. A couple of cameras, two phones, everything we have in terms of money, passports and something else, summarizes Cook on his own Twitter/X profile. DESPAIRED: Russ Cook pictured after the incident in Angola. Photo: Stan Gaskell / @cameramanstan_ But since the bearded Briton wants to run across the entire continent, it’s not just about escaping the guard. – Usually when you travel into an unsafe area, you can leave the place on the spot. We can only move 60 kilometers a day, and stop every 20 kilometers. It makes us vulnerable, says photographer Stan Gaskell to news. Dreams about ice The journey started in South Africa in April. By then, Cook had already been thinking about the project for several years. He has three helpers with him on the journey, who follow him in a specially built camper van. – He had the idea about four years ago, and has been working on it ever since, says photographer Stan Gaskell to news. He has been appointed since September last year. He tries to run 60 kilometers a day, but stops every 20 kilometers. Gaskell and the rest of the team behind post videos on social media along the way. There, the viewer is updated on everything from running distance, African cuisine, wildlife, questionable running fashion and various blemishes. Right now, in Cameroon, he is running through rainforest in temperatures of up to 37 degrees. – Warm weather used to be the dream, but all I dream about now is sitting in an ice bath in Antarctica and eating ice cream, says Cook in one of the videos. MILES CLEAR: Russ Cook runs around 60 kilometers a day, and aims to finish in March. Photo: Stan Gaskell / @cameramanstan_ Food poisoning: Run 40 kilometers So far he has defied most. Kilometers are completed every day in the desert, on asphalt, gravel and in the jungle. But a couple of times the well-trained body has protested. After 26 days, he had stomach problems and was unable to take in food. Nevertheless, he left behind 43.5 kilometers. – I felt like a zombie, he summed up himself. Then it gradually became more serious. After urinating blood for several days, he had to see a doctor. Then he was diagnosed with kidney stones and was strictly told not to run. The ban was maintained for one day. In July, the expedition was delayed for one week due to bureaucratic problems. In addition, the specially built car has had a number of problems. Initially, Cook had planned to finish in Tunisia in December. He is almost halfway there, and immediately jump into Nigeria. The journey then continues towards West Africa before turning north-east to Tunisia. He will go through several unsafe areas. – There have been several obstacles on the way. It has been robbery, illness and near-death experiences that mean we are now aiming for the finish line in March 2024, says photographer Stan Gaskell to news.
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Pee blood, was beaten and chased into the forest by a machete gang – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
