Ultra Runners Running the Length of Africa

Can you run a marathon every day for 352 days in a row? Ultramarathon runners run the length and width of Africa, making running marathons ultra cool.

The World Runners Association sets stringent criteria for circumnavigation and continent-crossing runs. These criteria include starting and finishing at opposite extremities of a continent, traveling continuously on foot, and not using shortcuts like air or sea transport unless unavoidable and with precise continuation from the exit point. 

Jesper Kenn Olsen, the first ultra-runner to run across Africa

Jesper Kenn Olsen

An ultra runner is someone who participates in ultramarathon races that exceed the standard marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles). These events can be up to 100 miles or more and include extreme terrains like mountains, deserts, or forests.  

Jesper Kenn Olsen is a Danish ultra-runner renowned for his ambitious global running projects. He was the first person to run the length of Africa, completing this feat between 2008 and 2010 as part of his World Run 2, a broader endeavor to circumnavigate the globe on foot. 

His route across Africa started in Taba, Egypt, and covered approximately 7,948 miles to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Along the way Olsen passed through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Eswatini, and South Africa.

The Hardest Geezer Russ Cook Running the Length of Africa

Russ Cook

Russ Cook, known as the Hardest Geezer completed a historic run across the length of Africa, covering over 16,000 kilometers or 10,000 miles in 352 days. His journey began on April 22, 2023, at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of South Africa, and ended in Ras Angela, Tunisia, the northernmost point of the continent. 

During his amazing ultra marathon, he ran through 16 countries, including Namibia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, and Algeria, among others. His route was shaped by logistical considerations, visa requirements, and safety concerns as he navigated jungles, deserts, and conflict zones.

During his run through the Democratic Republic of the Congo was the “most frightening time!” Cook stated. Cook embarked on this challenge to raise awareness and funds for charities addressing youth homelessness and the needs of displaced communities. 

The experience was deeply personal because when Russ First started his epic runs, he was lost. He had numerous dead end jobs, but wanted to do something amazing and epically ambitious. Russ credited running with helping him overcome mental health struggles and sought to inspire others through his ultra marathon running the length of Africa through 16 African countries.

Despite facing major, personal, logistical, and historical obstacles such as injuries, gangs, theft, and visa delays, Cook remained determined, running the equivalent of a marathon each day for almost a year.

Did you know?

Ultra-endurance events for ultra-runners like the Namibian Desert Run are well-known for extreme single-state challenges, spanning hundreds of kilometers across one of Africa’s toughest terrains.