I Felt Like I Was Going to Die in Tunisia

Kara and Nate
21 Apr 202439:17

Summary

TLDRThe video script details an extraordinary journey as the narrator and their team join Russ Cook in his final marathon, marking the end of his ambitious run across the African continent. Starting from the southernmost tip, Russ aimed to be the first person to run the entire length of Africa, a feat he accomplished despite numerous challenges, including being held at gunpoint, facing health issues, and enduring logistical nightmares. The team, having followed Russ's progress for a year, shares their experiences of running a marathon with minimal training, navigating through Tunisia, and the emotional rollercoaster of witnessing Russ's historic achievement. The video also highlights the support from Russ's crew, the communal spirit among the runners, and the importance of the charitable cause behind the run, encouraging viewers to donate and follow Russ's inspiring story.

Takeaways

  • 🎬 The speaker has just finished filming a series in Oman and is now heading to Tunisia to witness a historical event.
  • 🏃 Russ Cook is attempting to become the first person to run the entire length of Africa, starting from the southernmost tip and running north.
  • 📈 Russ has run approximately 10,000 miles through 14-15 countries, which is akin to running across the US three times with added logistical challenges.
  • 🔫 Russ faced numerous hardships, including being held at gunpoint, confronted by men with machetes, and driven into the jungle.
  • 🏃‍♂️ Despite physical challenges like running with food poisoning and peeing blood, Russ has persisted, averaging over a marathon a day for nearly a year.
  • 🌟 Russ is raising money for charity and has already raised over £870,000 during his epic run.
  • 📺 The speaker and their team are documenting their journey and sharing it on their channel, hoping to amplify Russ's achievement and raise more funds for charity.
  • 🚗 The speaker describes the logistical challenges of the trip, including driving in a foreign country and dealing with the heat during the marathon.
  • 🤝 There is a strong sense of community and support among the runners from various countries who have come to participate in the final marathon.
  • 🎥 The video production aspect of Russ's journey is highlighted, with the speaker expressing admiration for the editing team's work in documenting the run in real-time.
  • 🏁 The speaker reflects on the emotional and physical toll of the marathon and the awe-inspiring achievement of reaching the northernmost point of Africa.

Q & A

  • What was the main reason for the speaker's group to travel to Tunisia?

    -The main reason for their travel to Tunisia was to witness and participate in the final marathon of Russ Cook's attempt to become the first person to run the entire length of Africa.

  • How many countries did Russ Cook run through during his journey?

    -Russ Cook ran through 16 different countries during his journey across Africa.

  • What was the total distance covered by Russ Cook in his attempt?

    -Russ Cook covered more than 10,000 miles in his attempt to run the length of Africa.

  • What challenges did Russ Cook face during his run?

    -Russ Cook faced numerous challenges including being held up at gunpoint, confronted by men with machetes, driven into the jungle, suffering from food poisoning, and experiencing logistical complications such as car breakdowns and problematic border crossings.

  • How many days did it take Russ Cook to complete his run across Africa?

    -It took Russ Cook 352 days to complete his run across Africa.

  • What was the speaker's goal regarding Russ Cook's charity efforts during their trip to Tunisia?

    -The speaker's goal was to help Russ Cook raise more money for charity, with the aim of raising a million pounds through his run.

  • What was the speaker's personal challenge during the marathon in Tunisia?

    -The speaker's personal challenge was to attempt to run a marathon with very little training.

  • How did the speaker and their team get involved with Russ Cook's journey?

    -The speaker and their team got involved with Russ Cook's journey after being introduced to his mission by their friend Lou while attempting to flight board across the English Channel.

  • What was the total amount of money raised by Russ Cook for charity during his endurance peak challenge?

    -Russ Cook raised over £870,000 for charity during his endurance peak challenge.

  • What was the speaker's impression of the support team that accompanied Russ Cook on his journey?

    -The speaker expressed great admiration and respect for Russ Cook's support team, particularly the editors, for their dedication and hard work in documenting the journey and managing logistics.

  • What was the final destination of Russ Cook's run and where did the speaker and their team meet him?

    -The final destination of Russ Cook's run was the northernmost point of Africa, and the speaker and their team met him at this point after driving to the finish line.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Introduction to Russ Cook's African Run

This paragraph introduces the subject of the video, Russ Cook, who is attempting to become the first person to run the entire length of Africa. The speaker, presumably a filmmaker or journalist, has been following Russ's journey since he began his run from the southernmost tip of Africa. The video is set in Dubai, where the team has just finished filming a series in Oman and is now en route to Tunisia to witness Russ's final marathon. The speaker outlines the challenges Russ has faced, including being held at gunpoint and suffering from food poisoning, and emphasizes the logistical complexities of his run. The video also mentions Russ's charitable efforts, having raised over £870,000, and invites viewers to join him for the final marathon and to support his cause.

05:01

🚗 Travel to Tunisia and Preparations

The speaker details the journey to Tunisia, the 107th country they have visited. They reflect on the past year following Russ Cook's run across Africa, highlighting the physical and logistical challenges he has overcome. The paragraph also covers the speaker's personal goals for the trip, which include running a marathon with little training, amplifying Russ's achievements, and raising more money for charity. There's a mention of a sponsorship by BetterHelp, an online therapy platform, and the speaker's gratitude for the support. The narrative continues with the arrival in Tunisia, the challenges of driving in a foreign country, and the anticipation of participating in the final marathon.

10:02

🏃‍♂️ The Marathon and Russ's Journey

This paragraph focuses on the speaker's nervousness about running a marathon with minimal training, contrasting it with Russ's extraordinary feat of running across Africa. The speaker discusses their preparation, including a training run and the decision to carry water in a backpack. The video captures the start of the final marathon, with the speaker expressing awe at the gathering of international participants and the excitement of being part of a historic event. The speaker also reflects on the teamwork and logistics involved in documenting Russ's journey and pays tribute to the crew for their hard work.

15:03

🚗 Driving Alongside the Marathon Route

The speaker describes their experience driving alongside the marathon route in Tunisia, engaging with participants from various countries and expressing their admiration for Russ's charity run. They discuss the challenges of driving in a foreign country during Ramadan and the heat, as well as the camaraderie among the runners. The speaker also shares their strategy for keeping up with the marathon by moving between different checkpoints along the route. There's an account of a participant suffering from heatstroke, which serves as a stark reminder of the physical risks involved in the event.

20:05

🏖️ Approaching the Finish Line

The speaker narrates the final stretch of the marathon, expressing excitement as they near the northernmost point of Africa. They detail the landscape, the support from the local Tunisians, and the emotional journey of completing the marathon. The paragraph captures the moment the speaker and others reach the beach, signifying the near end of their run. There's a sense of accomplishment and relief, as well as anticipation for Russ's arrival at the finish line. The speaker also reflects on the personal challenge they faced during the marathon and the pride they feel in being part of such a significant event.

25:06

🎉 Finishing the Marathon and Celebrating an Historic Achievement

The final paragraph describes the emotional and triumphant conclusion of the marathon as the speaker and others cross the finish line on the northernmost point of Africa. There's a vivid depiction of the scene, with music, applause, and the joyous atmosphere of accomplishment. The speaker expresses their admiration for Russ Cook's historic achievement, encourages viewers to support his charity, and reflects on the personal challenge they faced during the marathon. The paragraph ends with a humorous note about the correct pronunciation of 'Tunisia' and a nod to the rental car company they used, rounding off the video script on a light-hearted note.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Running

Running is a form of aerobic exercise that involves moving swiftly on foot. In the video, running is the central theme as it documents the journey of Russ Cook, who aims to run the entire length of Africa, averaging over a marathon a day for nearly a year. It is a testament to human endurance and serves as a platform for charity.

💡Charity

Charity refers to the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need. In the context of the video, Russ Cook raises over £870,000 for charity during his epic run, demonstrating the philanthropic aspect of his challenge.

💡Marathon

A marathon is a long-distance race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometers (26.219 miles). The video highlights Russ Cook's final marathon, which is symbolic as it concludes his ambitious run across Africa, making him the first person to achieve this feat.

💡Logistical Complications

Logistical complications refer to the challenges related to the practical aspects of planning, coordinating, and implementing a complex operation. The video mentions the significant logistical complications of running across the US three times with ten times more complications, emphasizing the difficulty of Russ's journey.

💡Teamwork

Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a goal. The video showcases the importance of teamwork in supporting Russ Cook's run, with a small crew accompanying him, handling logistics, filming, and editing, which is crucial for the documentation and success of the mission.

💡Perseverance

Perseverance is the continued effort to achieve a goal despite difficulties or obstacles. The video script illustrates perseverance through Russ Cook's unwavering commitment to his goal, even when faced with physical exhaustion, health issues, and dangerous situations.

💡Adventure

An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. The video frames Russ Cook's run as an adventure, filled with unexpected challenges and discoveries, which adds an element of excitement and intrigue to the narrative.

💡Documentation

Documentation is the act of providing written or photographic evidence to support the facts about something. In the video, the crew's efforts to document Russ Cook's journey in real-time, despite the challenges, highlight the importance of capturing the historic nature of the run.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to the state of an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. The video mentions the protagonist's past struggles with mental health and how running has been transformative for him, bringing awareness to the importance of mental health and the role of physical activity in improving it.

💡Sponsorship

Sponsorship is the support of a person, organization, or event, especially financial support. The video acknowledges BetterHelp as a sponsor, which underscores the role of sponsorship in making such an extensive and challenging project possible.

💡Cultural Exchange

Cultural exchange is the act of learning about and sharing different cultures through interaction between people from different backgrounds. The video script describes meeting people from various countries who have come together for the marathon, showcasing the spirit of cultural exchange and unity through a shared goal.

Highlights

Russ Cook is attempting to become the first person to run the entire length of Africa, starting from the southernmost tip and aiming to reach the northernmost point.

The journey has spanned 352 days, covering over 10,000 miles across 16 countries, which is equivalent to running across the US three times with added logistical complications.

Throughout the run, Cook has faced numerous challenges including being held at gunpoint, confronted by men with machetes, and suffering from food poisoning and injuries that led to blood in his urine.

Despite the odds, Cook has persisted and is set to complete his final marathon, making history as the first person to run the full length of Africa.

The support crew, including editors and a cameraman, have been instrumental in documenting the journey while dealing with the intense logistics of the trip.

An open invitation was extended for others to join Cook for his final marathon, amplifying his achievement and raising awareness for charity.

The narrator expresses their goal to help raise more money for charity, with a target of a million pounds, and personally commits to donating.

The narrator humorously discusses their lack of marathon training and the challenges of attempting a marathon with minimal preparation.

The video provides a behind-the-scenes look at the final marathon, including the narrator's personal struggles and the camaraderie among the participants.

The narrator recounts their experience of driving in Tunisia and the cultural observations made during the event, highlighting the diversity of participants.

An incident where a participant suffered from heat exhaustion serves as a stark reminder of the physical risks involved in the marathon.

The narrator and their team show resilience and adaptability as they navigate unexpected challenges, such as off-roading in a rental car and dealing with the intense heat.

The successful completion of the marathon at the northernmost point of Africa is celebrated, with an emphasis on the historical significance of Cook's achievement.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to support Cook's charity, subscribe to his channel, and join in the celebration of his extraordinary journey.

The narrator lightheartedly discusses the pronunciation of 'Tunisia' and the potential for it to become a meme, adding a touch of humor to the recount of the event.

The unique experience of the marathon is captured through the lens of an unprepared participant, offering a relatable perspective on the event's challenges and triumphs.

Transcripts

00:00

good morning from the Dubai airport we

00:02

just wrapped filming a super fun Series

00:04

in the neighboring country of Oman and

00:06

this morning we are flying to our 107th

00:10

country of Tunisia to witness history in

00:12

the

00:21

[Music]

00:28

making

00:38

I'm 350 days ago this man started

00:42

running North from the southernmost tip

00:45

of Africa with the crazy dream of being

00:47

the first person to ever run the full

00:49

length of the continent of Africa my

00:52

name's Russ Cook and I'm attempting to

00:54

become the first person ever to run the

00:56

entire length of Africa we were lucky

00:58

enough to be introduced to his journey

00:59

ear on last year as we were attempting

01:01

to flight board across the English

01:02

Channel our friend Lou introduced us to

01:05

his mission and that's when he was just

01:06

crossing the border from South Africa to

01:08

Namibia we've been following his journey

01:10

ever since then and for almost a year

01:11

now we've watched him run close to

01:13

10,000 Mi through 14 or 15 different

01:16

countries since most of our audience is

01:17

based in the US to put the length of

01:19

this run in perspective that's like

01:20

running across the US three times except

01:24

add in 10 times more logistical

01:27

complications the things took a turn for

01:29

Worse and and you were held up at

01:31

gunpoint he was confronted by men with

01:32

machetes then driven 7 hours into the

01:36

jungle at times his odds of finishing

01:38

have looked Bleak we've watched him pee

01:41

blood multiple times run with food

01:43

poisoning more times than I can count

01:44

this team was robbed at gunpoint cars

01:46

have broken down border crossings have

01:48

gone wrong but somehow he has always

01:50

managed to keep moving North over the

01:52

course of the last 350 days he has run

01:54

close to 10,000 Mi which means he's

01:58

averaged over 28 m miles per day that is

02:01

over a marathon a day for just shy of an

02:04

entire year and tomorrow Russ is going

02:06

to be running his final Marathon that

02:08

will end at the northernmost point in

02:10

Africa making him the first person in

02:13

history to run the entire length of

02:16

Africa 352 days more than 10,000 miles

02:19

across 16 countries he's here the

02:22

hardest Geer Rus cook he's finally

02:24

crossed the line and he's raised over £

02:26

870,000 for charity during the EP

02:30

challenge so about a month ago Russ put

02:32

an open invitation on the internet for

02:34

anyone to join him running his final

02:35

Marathon so today we are heading to

02:37

tenia with three goals goal number one

02:40

attempt to run a marathon with very

02:41

little training n not me goal number two

02:44

we just want to amplify what Russ is

02:46

done I think it's absolutely amazing he

02:47

deserves a million subscribers or more

02:49

so if you enjoy this video be sure to

02:51

subscribe to his channel and then go

02:53

back to the beginning and watch the

02:54

journey because it has been absolutely

02:56

crazy he is literally my hero and goal

02:59

number three is to help R raise more

03:01

money for charity he's trying to raise a

03:03

million pounds through this run we will

03:05

personally be donating and if you want

03:06

to as well we will leave a link in the

03:08

description below all right this is home

03:09

sweet home for the next 6 hours going to

03:12

be in a

03:13

home we are ex woron thanks for your

03:17

understanding and patience we going to

03:18

try our best to make up time doing the

03:20

flight in the meantime sit back and

03:22

we'll keep you posted any than all right

03:25

fueling up for the marathon with only

03:27

the healthiest ingredients

03:30

I don't think this mail was on anyone's

03:31

recommended Marathon diet plan attemped

03:34

to become the first person ever to run

03:37

the entire length of Africa this is

03:39

where I started 6 hours later we have

03:42

just landed in our 107th country of

03:45

Tunisia feels great to be in a new

03:47

country and maybe even better to be back

03:49

in Africa I think this is our first time

03:51

on the continent in almost 3 years we uh

03:54

spent the majority of that flight

03:55

watching old videos of Russ running and

03:58

it was just such a great reminder of so

04:01

much that he has overcome to get to

04:03

where he is now it felt like every

04:06

episode he was either vomiting something

04:08

was growing on his foot a Visa was

04:10

getting denied so he wasn't able to go

04:12

to a new country like the fact that he

04:14

has made it two Tunisia is a miracle

04:17

some days I wake up and I'm like Russ is

04:19

still

04:23

running oh it's heavier than I remember

04:26

all right we are officially in the

04:27

country time to find our rental car

04:32

nice wow I hope the weather feels like

04:34

this tomorrow but that's not what the

04:36

forecast is showing 90° and sunny for

04:38

the run is what it's going to be oh yeah

04:39

Sun's hot think about how many days in a

04:42

row Russ has been running in the

04:43

swimming you can do it for one day

04:44

thanks for the pep talk coming from me

04:46

who is doing

04:48

[Music]

04:52

nothing all right from here we have an

04:54

hour and a half drive to the Finish Line

04:57

oh I'm so glad you got snacks let's do

04:59

the drive inesia like so this video is

05:01

actually posting out of order we just

05:02

finished 2 weeks overlanding Oman

05:04

driving this massive Unimog it was

05:07

incredible and we are so excited to

05:09

share that series with you but being in

05:11

this tiny car feels so weird it actually

05:13

I feel like I'm sitting on the ground

05:15

yeah it feels unsafe we're posting this

05:17

video out of order because we felt like

05:19

this is like an actual event that's

05:21

occurring in time like history is being

05:23

made so we want it to post it as close

05:26

to the historic day as possible lanes

05:28

are definitely more more of a suggestion

05:31

here it's literally an intersection with

05:34

zero signage whatsoever whoever sticks

05:37

their nose out and gets it in front of

05:38

the other person thank you that was very

05:40

nice a

05:44

[Music]

05:47

yay is this like a police

05:50

check all right we made it through we

05:53

made it he pulled over the car in front

05:54

of us and the car behind us honestly if

05:57

you dropped me here and said where are

05:58

you I'm I would say tusy I'm actually

06:02

really glad that the Finish Line isn't

06:04

in Tunis and we have to drive to it

06:06

because we only have two short days in

06:08

the country and this is a great way to

06:09

see a little bit more of

06:11

it it was an adventure but we made

06:16

it so

06:19

blue wow Tunisia who knew what a view

06:24

the temperature feels amazing there's a

06:26

camel and there's camels on the beach so

06:29

this is home sweet home for the next two

06:30

nights quick tour the room is quite a

06:32

bit bigger than I expected we've got a

06:35

table a couch look at this huge

06:39

bed sounded a bit

06:42

hard real quick before we go any further

06:45

let me say a huge thank you to

06:47

betterhelp for sponsoring this video and

06:49

making this crazy adventure possible hi

06:53

Hank hi what baby doing he's taking a

06:57

nap rest has been super open about his

07:00

mental health

07:01

Journey you okay yeah and a few years

07:04

ago he was going through a really

07:05

challenging time before running

07:07

literally changed his life so now a big

07:10

part of his life mission is helping

07:11

other people overcome hard times as well

07:14

I think it's so cool when people are raw

07:16

and vulnerable about their struggles on

07:18

the internet because who knows how many

07:19

people rest his help through his story

07:21

so I want to be a part of spreading the

07:23

word that it is okay to not be okay and

07:26

that therapy is awesome and it can

07:28

really help you get through whatever

07:29

you're facing right now thankfully

07:31

betterhelp makes it so easy to get

07:33

started because betterhelp is 100%

07:35

online therapy they have a network of

07:37

over

07:38

35,000 licensed professional therapists

07:41

meaning you could talk to your therapist

07:42

from anywhere right R all you have to do

07:45

to get started is answer a few questions

07:47

about yourself on better help's website

07:48

and they'll match you to a therapist who

07:50

they think best meets your specific need

07:53

then you can talk to them however you

07:54

feel most comfortable whether that's a

07:56

phone call a video chat or messaging but

07:58

if for some reason you don't feel like

07:59

it's a give fit no problem it's easy and

08:01

free to switch to someone new so therapy

08:03

sounds like something you'd benefit from

08:05

go to betterhelp.com K and N or choose

08:09

Cara and Nate during sign up to get a

08:11

special discount off your first month of

08:13

therapy okay back toia

08:18

[Music]

08:32

good morning today is the day and I

08:36

think it is finally sinking in what I

08:38

sign myself up for what an incredible

08:40

morning sunrise is beautiful the birds

08:43

are chirping the weather cannot be more

08:45

perfect it's going to be a good day to

08:47

run you didn't miss much last night the

08:48

plan was just to have a relaxing night

08:50

we decided to go on a little sunset walk

08:53

and then walked way too far because the

08:54

further we went the more beautiful the

08:56

town got this town is stunning and then

08:59

last last night I ate some carbs because

09:01

I think that's what you're supposed to

09:02

do before

09:04

[Music]

09:22

Marathon so we are here to highlight

09:25

Russ's achievement I don't want to turn

09:26

this video on me but just for a second I

09:29

was looking at my straa which is the app

09:31

that I use to track my runs I have run

09:34

26.6 miles this year normally I have a

09:38

pretty consistent running routine so

09:39

showing up to do something like this

09:41

wouldn't be crazy but this year that

09:43

just hasn't happened and uh yeah this is

09:46

like the least in shape I've been in

09:48

four years I bought this backpack in

09:51

Dubai a few days ago before we left I've

09:52

never used it before this is probably

09:54

dirty and should have been clean but I

09:56

don't have time for that and I have done

09:57

one what I would consider training run a

10:00

week ago the night that our booked our

10:02

flights here 7 days out figured now

10:03

would be a good time to go run for the

10:05

first time in a month probably about as

10:06

much as I've run theti year I'm being

10:08

honest I just finished my one training

10:10

run all I know is that I ran for about

10:12

an hour all right see you in a week Russ

10:14

that was uh six miles I've never run

10:15

with a backpack I don't normally run

10:17

with water but I also normally don't run

10:19

marathons so we're going to try it out

10:21

watching Russ's video I saw he always

10:22

had a backpack on wow this holds so much

10:25

that feels so unnecessary what do you

10:27

think should I fill this up all the way

10:28

that's so heavy just keep cool as the

10:29

issue I would you're in Tunisia I feel

10:32

like it's going to get really hot so

10:34

this bag can hold 2 L this holds half a

10:36

liter this holds half a liter so I'm

10:38

bringing 3 lers of water which feels

10:41

insane I guarantee I'm going to end up

10:42

pouring this out there's no way I'm

10:43

drinking all this I really went back and

10:46

forth on whether or not I was going to

10:48

come and I was really mad at myself that

10:50

I hadn't kept myself in better shape

10:52

this year because that was the thing

10:53

that was holding me back was like I

10:55

wasn't sure if I could do this but you

10:56

know I figured if Russ can run across

10:58

the entire length of Africa I can still

11:00

have run marath maybe literally took the

11:03

tags off of this this morning L tomor

11:06

you actually need

11:09

stretch

11:12

ready having like secondhand nerves for

11:14

you

11:17

now all right woo we're doing it I'm so

11:22

nervous it's funny like this is such a

11:24

massive deal for me like going and

11:26

running a marathon with basically no

11:28

training but it's just another day for

11:29

us like he's probably going to wake up

11:31

eat some candy and I've been like

11:33

thinking about what I've been putting in

11:34

my body for the last 24 hours did you

11:36

get any more sweet eat from the shop be

11:38

over there or no I think I am so it's

11:41

not just Russ that's traveled the entire

11:42

length of Africa he has a small crew

11:44

with him a couple editors a cameraman a

11:47

couple Logistics guys there are a lot of

11:49

other people who deserve credit for this

11:51

especially in the documentation and

11:52

these editors have pulled off a heroic

11:55

feat we are watching the last video of

11:59

of the series right now which pretty

12:00

much brings us to present day like this

12:02

video ends when we got here yesterday it

12:06

was uploaded 9 hours ago so like they're

12:08

literally posting in real time I don't

12:11

know if anybody else can appreciate this

12:13

feat the editing alone much less

12:16

everything else from the perspective of

12:18

someone who creates videos it's

12:19

absolutely mind-blowing so good job not

12:21

only to Russ but also to the entire team

12:24

especially the

12:26

editors I know this should be obvious

12:28

but for some reason it's just hitting me

12:30

that every mile we drive right now is a

12:32

mile that I'm running back in the

12:33

opposite direction so it's making this

12:35

drive feel so much longer we're

12:37

literally driving almost an hour so

12:39

we're just all meeting at this random

12:41

gas station like Russ just dropped a

12:43

point on a map and then posted it on

12:45

Instagram based on the hotel lobby this

12:47

morning I think there's going to be more

12:49

people here than I realized I didn't

12:50

know if I was going to show up and it

12:52

was going to be like five people or 100

12:55

and I think it might be quite a few more

12:56

than that there's the shell there's with

12:59

all the people it's going to be a party

13:02

all right it's 10:08 everyone has

13:03

started walking so I think someone

13:05

somewhere has gotten word that they're

13:06

close the van with the editors and the

13:09

cameraman has just showed up first and

13:10

they're getting the credit they deserve

13:12

a full Standing Ovation now we're just

13:14

waiting for the man of the hour I cannot

13:16

fathom the feeling Russ must have right

13:20

now like he is about to run up to all of

13:23

these people cheering him on gosh after

13:25

all this time like I just would love to

13:28

know where he is emotionally physically

13:31

have a pretty good idea of where he is

13:34

literally the most mileage I've ever

13:35

done in a 4-day period of my life I'm

13:38

doing it off the back of a 348 day warm

13:40

up the man the myth the legend Russ Cook

13:44

has arrived are we running that way oh

13:46

okay good luck I love you bye Nate

13:49

bye I have no idea what's going on all

13:52

right it's a bit of chaos I don't think

13:54

we're going the direction that anyone

13:56

thought we were we have officially

13:57

started the final Marathon still haven't

13:59

seen Russ yet I'm way in the back this

14:01

may be where I stay all day at this

14:02

point I may never catch him and I won't

14:04

see him until the Finish L but that's

14:07

okay wow what a rush that was crazy it

14:12

is 10:43 all of a sudden Russ appeared I

14:15

did not see him personally everyone

14:18

started running and then they were gone

14:20

the locals have no idea what has hit

14:23

this town it is cracking me up meeting a

14:26

lot of cool people from a bunch of

14:27

different countries so far people from

14:30

South Africa Romania obviously tons of

14:32

people from the UK New Zealand nice it's

14:35

amazing to see how many people come out

14:37

from so many different backgrounds you

14:38

fly all the way here just for this yeah

14:40

amazing 24 hours of traveling how'd you

14:42

find rest Instagram oh sweet yeah we uh

14:45

I started following him a couple weeks

14:46

into the journey and been hooked ever

14:49

since most the time the algorithm is a

14:51

bad guy but in this case the ALG did

14:53

something good my plan is to drive along

14:56

the Route and cheer them on and get some

14:58

fun videos just try to capture the whole

15:00

thing and I know that Russ has his own

15:03

thing going on Nate has his own

15:05

challenge that he's dealing with but I

15:07

got to be honest I have my own hurdles

15:09

that I'm getting over today driving in a

15:12

foreign country hello children are just

15:14

running in the road don't worry hi I'm a

15:17

little nervous about it I don't love

15:19

driving like some people are kind of

15:20

into driving and cars and that I'm just

15:22

not one of those people especially in a

15:24

foreign place the towns in our

15:26

experience here so far are quite hectic

15:30

I can't imagine what it's like when it's

15:32

not Ramadan and there are way more

15:34

people out and

15:35

about the initial Pace was quick I think

15:37

there was a lot of enthusiasm coming out

15:38

of the gate also these are not closed

15:41

roads but now everyone settled into a

15:43

nice slow pace I feel like this is

15:44

increasing my chances of finishing where

15:46

are you from I'm trying Sweden Sweden

15:48

all right we a new country trying to

15:50

find as many countries as possible hello

15:52

hello yeah how many you go uh maybe like

15:53

six oh nice also found somebody from

15:55

Norway back there how did you hear about

15:57

rest uh YouTube nice follow there the

15:59

algorithm the algorithms yeah amazing

16:02

they know me they know me one more win

16:03

for the algorithm where where are you

16:05

from I'm from Tunisia Tunisia yes Vibes

16:08

are so good right now I think it's going

16:10

to get a lot quieter as we keep going I

16:12

can't get over how crazy that was I

16:14

hardly even like said bye to Nate he

16:16

just started running with the with the

16:18

herd I know he's going to do great Nate

16:20

is such an overachiever in everything he

16:23

does like he really truly like is All or

16:26

Nothing with every aspect of his life

16:29

which I absolutely love about him so I

16:30

know he's going to finish this race if

16:33

it means that he literally breaks buha

16:35

is fasting for Ramadan and attempting to

16:37

run the marathon today my first one my

16:39

first marathon that is so we will see

16:40

how it goes man good luck thank you you

16:43

too crazy that gives me the motivation

16:45

that I need to finish let's keep it up

16:47

cuz if you can do it with no food I can

16:48

do it with all the food and water I have

16:49

only I been feeling like I was in the

16:51

very back but I think I caught it middle

16:53

of the pack feels like a good place to

16:54

be this early on this is next level

16:56

running right here I'm not actually sure

16:57

who's part of this but love it can I ask

17:01

intentional basically I'm me to get the

17:03

film guy for a balance pain tonight I've

17:06

going to the airport and

17:07

but I thought the suitcase was a joke

17:09

turns out he was actually running with

17:11

it trying to get somewhere thankfully

17:12

it's a pretty you know quiet country

17:15

road for the most part on the route

17:17

someone sent me a link that has like the

17:20

21k pinned and then 10K and then 5K and

17:23

then the finish line so my plan is to go

17:26

to each of those spots and just wait I

17:29

guess dude I love the

17:37

beard all right Russ's cameraman gets a

17:40

name what's yours

17:41

Josh hardest ke it's hard to tell he's

17:44

in Disguise today so much respect for

17:46

all the guys in this van yall don't get

17:48

enough

17:50

credit that's the van that's been giving

17:52

him trouble the whole trip I just heard

17:53

it restart now's rough

18:03

we are 5 miles in the 940 Pace we going

18:06

to be honest this is not the slow group

18:08

run that I was counting on oh my gosh I

18:11

have found the runners what a sight

18:14

uh-oh uh-oh there we go sounds like the

18:17

uh F's having some trouble starting so

18:21

there are I don't know 150 people

18:23

running with about 20 cars behind them

18:26

there's a guy with a suitcase walking

18:27

down the road not really sure what I

18:30

should do here should I find a way to

18:32

get

18:35

around can not believe I'm driving next

18:38

to the blue van right now oh it's

18:40

smoking too this is not good hey R just

18:44

want to say it's not

18:45

man you had to do a lot to get here for

18:49

everybody to be able to run with you and

18:50

that's this guy just pointed out for me

18:52

that this is my longest run of the year

18:54

so thanks for that I've just crossed

18:57

I've just crossed that threshold and I'm

18:58

very different Heat this is Norway that

19:01

put us in nine countries this guy is a

19:03

machine in the heat to kind 30° almost

19:07

strategy is staying in the front for now

19:08

so as I get slower I can drop back and

19:10

potentially still finish firstus attempt

19:12

at calories this is so hot oh my I love

19:14

these

19:15

things not going to lie I'm in bad shape

19:19

say too loud and bring down the vibe but

19:21

struggling way more than I thought it

19:22

would it's early

19:25

on okay I just stopped to check Nate's

19:27

location and make sure I was going in

19:29

the right direction cuz I wasn't sure of

19:31

their route and he's like barely moving

19:34

so I don't know if he's struggling or if

19:36

the whole group is struggling which way

19:38

are you going I caught in no man's land

19:40

me and one other person right come on

19:43

the fast group's up there everybody else

19:45

is back here I'm not going to lie I'm

19:47

dying I think we're about 8 miles in

19:49

this is how bad I was hurting go mile 24

19:51

by me I grease all right the walk is

19:54

shame I guarantee here is going to be

19:56

optimistically waiting for me to be a FR

19:58

I don't know going to be there I'm in a

19:59

line of cars going about 10 km per hour

20:03

we're just driving right alongside the

20:04

runners hopefully I'll passinate at some

20:06

point give him a little boost oh okay

20:09

that makes me feel better just got a

20:11

little encouragement from the world

20:13

famous YouTuber Zach Hall up that was

20:16

that was great while I'm just driving at

20:19

5 km per hour I have some thoughts I am

20:21

not going to even pretend to act like I

20:25

know what it's like to run the length of

20:27

Africa make that clear however last year

20:31

Nate and I rode a trom bike across the

20:33

us with our friends you know we were

20:35

living in a van we were doing something

20:38

physically challenging we were making

20:40

videos so I feel like we have the

20:43

tiniest tiniest taste of what this

20:46

experience has been like gosh I can

20:48

hardly even say it because it's not true

20:50

but like it's it's the best thing I have

20:52

to compare it honestly swallowing my

20:54

pride so hard out here but this Run's

20:56

not about me it's about Russ and he is

20:58

smashing it my gosh there's Nate oh he's

21:01

walking I hope he's okay how you doing

21:03

Nate how do it look like I'm doing are

21:05

you okay I'm literally died you're doing

21:08

great oh poor guy yeah this is going to

21:11

be rough I'm going to have to choose

21:12

between finishing with Russ and uh

21:15

getting in the car poor Nate he looked

21:17

like he was struggling shoot well like I

21:20

was saying Russ has run 10 times the

21:23

distance that we rode taking turns on a

21:26

bike which just it's hard for me to wrap

21:28

my mind around that so obviously that is

21:31

the biggest Miracle of this whole thing

21:34

that he's actually done it however there

21:36

are just a few things that I would

21:38

really like to highlight that are the

21:40

reasons that I have fallen in love with

21:41

this journey and this crew that I just

21:43

don't want to go unnotice and the first

21:45

one is his team Russ has not been alone

21:48

in this challenge I have been a support

21:50

van before woo support man and it is a

21:54

full-time job the logistics of

21:56

everything and Africa is especially like

21:59

so many border crossings and police

22:01

checks you know like figuring out where

22:03

you're going to meet up and getting

22:05

enough food and water it sounds like a

22:08

total nightmare and on top of that

22:11

they've been cranking out two videos a

22:14

week I mean I genuinely don't know how

22:16

they've done it I really don't know how

22:18

they've done it as the editor in the

22:19

relationship I just have so much respect

22:22

for those guys and on top of that at the

22:24

end of our 36 day bike ride I was so

22:27

creatively depleted did I could not wake

22:30

up and film myself in a van riding on a

22:32

bike getting back in the van again like

22:35

I was so over it so for them to still be

22:37

making these videos so entertaining

22:40

they're so funny the editing is so good

22:42

what's the game plan for today just

22:44

going to do that thing that do a mad

22:45

props to the editing crew I really truly

22:49

don't know how you did it I don't mean

22:50

to embarrass you on camera but I found

22:51

somebody to walk with and he is from

22:53

Hendersonville Tennessee which is the

22:55

town that I grew up in all right we're

22:57

back we're running we de if Russ can run

22:59

the entire length of Africa we can push

23:01

through for a day that's the Finish Line

23:03

all right and the last thing I'll point

23:04

out is just who Russ is as a person in

23:08

case you don't know he is doing this

23:10

whole nutty challenge for charity and he

23:13

is giving away every single penny that

23:17

he is making from this he's risking his

23:19

life he's breaking his body going

23:22

through this insane journey and then not

23:25

making a penny just shows who he is and

23:27

how big his heart is I love the contrast

23:30

to this there a bunch of people out here

23:32

going about their daily life wondering

23:33

what in the world we're all doing it

23:35

looks flat in the camera but this is a

23:37

giant Hill yeah oh there they go hi team

23:41

gosh I'm so Star Struck like I said

23:43

before we are going to be donating

23:45

probably more than Nate wants to because

23:46

I just am so excited about this the link

23:49

is going to be in the description if you

23:51

feel inspired or R has made you smile or

23:55

you've been affected in any way by what

23:57

he's done please please donate to his

24:00

Charities oh my gosh Russ is right

24:04

behind me this is awesome I can't

24:08

believe it somehow I got in front of

24:10

everyone oh my gosh yay oh my gosh this

24:14

is so exciting I love being crew

24:18

[Music]

24:30

don't

24:31

yeah we just started running for the

24:33

camera this group's doing block three

24:37

run seven that's

24:40

the keep

24:44

going oh okay I feel like Nate has found

24:47

a little crew that he's excited to run

24:49

with sounds like they've made some goals

24:51

together it's going to be great I am

24:53

just going to not be neutral and get

24:56

right back in the queue of cars who all

24:58

just passed me pretty excited about the

25:01

shot that I got of Russ and his crew he

25:03

seemed like he was in a good place my

25:05

gosh I seriously I'm so Star truck is so

25:07

crazy there's Nate again y'all need

25:10

anything you good

25:13

up pretend like it's been seven

25:17

minutes I'm just happy that he's smiling

25:20

oh was worried there for a

25:22

minute oh man we're on our first big

25:26

hill of the trip so far it's a beautiful

25:28

one wild flowers trees but it is

25:36

steep angel on the side of the road much

25:39

appreciated sir thank you so much take

25:41

care thought I could scir myself with

25:42

this but you have to bite

25:44

[Music]

25:49

it so as I crested this hill I watched

25:53

some guys literally carrying a man like

25:57

completely lifel looking over into the

25:59

grass I think he must have passed out

26:01

from heat exhaustion and it was not

26:04

looking good it was really scary and I

26:06

just had to stop cuz if it was Nate you

26:09

know like I would hope that somebody

26:10

would stop and help him so I just like

26:12

took all the floorboards out of the

26:14

rental and people were using them to Fan

26:16

him off and I think he's finally like

26:18

conscious they called an ambulance I

26:20

think he's going to be okay but gosh

26:22

that was awful I really hated seeing

26:25

that but it was definitely a wakeup call

26:27

that this is no joke

26:28

hope Nate doesn't push himself to that

26:32

level I knew black was a bad idea

26:35

getting serious about trying to stay

26:36

cool I've definitely been feeling laded

26:38

I thought well I'll just push through

26:39

but I just made it real all right well

26:41

this is going worse than expected see

26:44

you s love you love you I'll be okay

26:47

take care of yourself I'll sit down

26:48

before I pass out please love

26:51

you all right 1 mile away from the

26:54

halfway point hopefully my poor

26:56

performance out here today is just

26:57

helping to highlight R's achievement I

26:59

would say this and the B race are the

27:03

two hardest single day physical

27:05

challenges that I've ever attempt it oh

27:07

I love it all right I made some new

27:10

friends ambulance came everything's

27:12

going to be fine there are some hot

27:14

Runners who needed a ride that is what

27:16

I'm here for AC we even got some people

27:19

uh in the trunk honestly seeing the guy

27:22

passed out back there really shook me in

27:24

my mind I was just going to keep pushing

27:26

on no matter how hard it got but I've

27:28

been feeling Whitehead and uh yeah maybe

27:30

it was good to be reminded of the

27:31

realities of what can happen so I'll

27:34

play it a little safer from here on out

27:36

I may be hurting but I can still

27:38

appreciate the beauty of Tunisia it's

27:40

incredible here these yellow flowers

27:41

with the Rolling Green Hills definitely

27:43

not how it picture this country and then

27:45

just knowing that we're going to end at

27:46

the beach it's amazing pretty sure

27:48

that's going to be the route going down

27:49

the valley and then up and over that

27:52

hill all right I think everybody stopped

27:54

to take a halfway break and I've caught

27:56

back up I didn't think there was any way

27:58

oh that's the Boost I need

28:01

[Applause]

28:03

[Music]

28:05

it all right that was the halfway point

28:08

the tunes are pumping they energ back I

28:11

don't think I'll keep up for long but

28:13

give it a second

28:17

go so cool to see that many people

28:19

running together one man with a crazy

28:22

dream inspired hundreds of people to

28:24

come run a marathon in the middle of

28:26

nowhere Tunisia it's incredible

28:30

for a

28:34

moment oh is this for the YouTube

28:36

channel nice they picked up a new film

28:39

guy glad I was running when they passed

28:43

these guys are from Tunisia they've been

28:44

Legends checking on me making sure I

28:46

didn't need any more water or anything

28:47

like that everybody's so friendly like

28:49

from the beginning everybody was

28:50

watching out for each other but

28:51

especially since the guy had a heat

28:53

stroke like every car that passes is

28:54

just making sure you're okay if you're

28:56

walking really cool to see

29:03

[Music]

29:07

just turned into a puddle I Won't Say

29:09

I'm feeling good but I'm feeling uh

29:11

surprisingly better actually ran a

29:13

little bit kept up a lot longer than I

29:14

thought I would now uh we've decided to

29:16

go off-roading hello just a man on a

29:20

donkey love

29:25

it turns out I'm not the only one ah

29:28

just keeping cool is the issue my legs

29:30

actually feel pretty good I've

29:31

definitely gotten a second wind I just

29:32

get lightheaded every once in a while

29:34

well definitely cooler but kind of feel

29:36

like a going to vomit that was too much

29:38

too much at once all right According to

29:40

straa which did pause for a brief moment

29:42

I'm almost 18 and 1 12 miles in at the 8

29:44

Mile Mark I didn't think there was any

29:45

way I was making it this far definitely

29:47

starting to feel it again but an hour

29:49

and a half ago was by far the worst I've

29:50

felt I'm keeping this to pour over my

29:52

head we are taking this little Rental

29:54

Car on some rough roads it's all part of

29:57

the mix Mission so far on the mission

30:00

got a finish strong boys

30:03

wooo here we

30:05

go I go this way where the road is oh my

30:10

gosh we're on our own adventure some

30:13

people are running a marathon other

30:14

people are just surviving in the

30:19

car oh Sho oh shoot we're in the sand

30:24

we're in the sand nice and easy

30:28

nice and easy oh we did it feeling

30:31

pretty good that we're going to make it

30:32

surely it's not that much

30:36

further well never mind I was about to

30:38

say this is so beautiful this is the

30:40

first shade that I've ran through all

30:41

day but now I'm running through sand so

30:42

I'm going at about 50% speed all right

30:44

we are officially 10 km from the Finish

30:47

Line everyone has just stopped in this

30:50

beautiful shady area everybody's just

30:52

put their car in park here on this uh

30:54

sketchy Gravel Road I love my new

30:56

friends one of them's name is Jack and

30:58

he's become like the b-roll master he

31:00

been getting out getting cool shots of

31:01

the car so you can thank him for that I

31:03

don't think Nate is here yet but it

31:06

seems like everybody's just taking a

31:07

little breather that's it that is

31:09

officially the 20 M Mark feels like the

31:12

end is in sight I can only imagine how

31:14

Russ is feeling right now feels like an

31:16

accomplishment for me but man car and I

31:18

have done a few things that have lasted

31:19

like a week or two weeks longest one has

31:21

been a month and the ending of those

31:23

just always feels like I'm always feel

31:24

with so many mixed emotions so I can't

31:26

imagine doing the same thing for a year

31:27

GE straight and it being over here's

31:31

Nate what a struggle way they

31:33

go oh my goodness of you you're doing it

31:38

I knew you could do it I didn't think I

31:40

was going to do it for a good while

31:42

really tell me everything the 8 Mile

31:45

Mark was by far the worst I felt and to

31:48

be feeling that bad that early on I

31:50

didn't ever think I'd get here I need

31:51

you to meet our new videographer oh

31:53

thank you for that that's amazing I saw

31:55

you hanging out in the back of the car

31:57

this might be

31:58

the most beautiful sight I've ever seen

32:00

there was a moment there when I never

32:02

thought I'd see anybody again Russ would

32:04

just be partying at the Finish Line I

32:05

was still going to be walking down the

32:06

road I'm loving that oh this is so

32:13

good I'm got to finish 10 more K all

32:16

right I got to go though before I get

32:18

super behind again I love you love you

32:21

good luck bye all right now we get in

32:23

the car and hope that this road

32:25

continues to be drivable cuz if not

32:27

don't know what we're going to do all

32:29

right the last 10K see if I can keep up

32:31

a little better they pretty much left as

32:32

soon as I got there again and I'm

32:34

already on the back I think I just heard

32:35

someone say that Russ have been resting

32:37

there for an hour if that gives you any

32:39

idea of the pace he's going at not that

32:40

I'm going fast all right we're in the

32:43

middle of lots of Runners as you can see

32:46

there's a big old pile of sand that we

32:48

have to get

32:50

through yeah oh was Nate I uh feel like

32:52

I need to have some speed before I get

32:54

to this s so I'm letting everybody pass

32:56

so I can get a good window cuz I don't

32:58

want to like hit the speed and then hit

32:59

a runner and not be able to stop and

33:00

then get stuck in the sand ready all

33:03

right here we go we're going we're going

33:05

we're in the sand it's happening we did

33:08

it yes wow just off-roading in the VW

33:12

huh I know it's been driving a van for

33:14

too

33:15

long that's it well that's a donkey but

33:19

that is the ocean the Finish Line to

33:20

some degree is in sight oh

33:24

wow what a legend 5K to go running the

33:28

entire length of Africa and he's happily

33:31

taking selfies with

33:32

people oh my gosh life is good we're on

33:36

the pavement we're going down and we can

33:40

see the sea I just got this like

33:43

adrenaline rush just seeing it like

33:44

we're so close ones and twos ones and

33:47

twos people 5K left it's like thundering

33:50

ones and

33:53

twos this is it the final 5K there's no

33:56

way I'm keeping up to see finish I'll

33:58

just have to watch it on car's

34:00

video Roger hi don't think this little

34:03

trail run was part of the plan I think

34:04

Russ wanted to give us the taste of what

34:06

it's like to make a wrong turn and have

34:07

to run a little bit further very

34:09

[Music]

34:20

humbling there it is the first Clear

34:22

View I'm filled with so much joy just

34:25

seeing the water I would give anything

34:27

to be inside Russ's head right now all

34:29

right we have made it to the beach we

34:32

are almost to the northernmost point in

34:35

the whole continent of Africa and now we

34:37

wait couldn't have done it without my

34:39

new friend Jack hi

34:42

guys all right according to my straval

34:44

we've just passed the 26.2 mile Mark

34:46

which is a full marathon it's kind of

34:48

messing with my head a bit but we are so

34:49

close let's go I am

34:53

officially stepping on the northernmost

34:56

point of all of Africa we're here Europe

35:00

is that way me check Nate's

35:03

location oh my gosh he's only a mile

35:06

away I see the beach we're almost there

35:10

oh my

35:11

goodness pretty soon they're going to be

35:13

running from up there down to this party

35:15

they have an actual red finish line for

35:17

him to run through one more kilometer I

35:20

am so nervous for some reason I don't

35:23

know how to feel oh my gosh he's almost

35:26

here

35:29

I see

35:33

you than

35:40

[Applause]

35:50

[Music]

36:02

[Applause]

36:09

I can't see anything I don't know what's

36:11

happening but somebody's playing music

36:12

he is being bombarded what a beautiful

36:15

moment where's Nate I hope he's here

36:33

[Applause]

36:35

[Music]

36:43

a little over 6 hours and 28 M later

36:46

we've made it to the northernmost point

36:48

in Africa it's been a very humbling

36:50

experience there were multiple times

36:51

today and I did not think I was going to

36:53

make it here on but more importantly

36:55

Russ Cook has just made history what a

36:58

cool thing to be a part of I might die

37:00

now but it was worth it this is the tip

37:02

people are going in the water down there

37:04

that sounds like the perfect wed in this

37:06

day you should

37:09

it oh my goodness that so gross how are

37:13

you I might die but I'm glad I didn't

37:16

you made it all the way to the top of

37:19

Africa I did not think that that was

37:21

going to happen I'm so proud of you

37:23

you're so wet you played a big part in

37:25

today yeah seriously

37:29

so much you coming in yeah I was your

37:34

shot you ready 3 2

37:44

1 what an epic place to finish please go

37:48

subscribe to Russ's Channel go watch the

37:49

journey from the beginning let's get him

37:51

to a million subscribers the link to

37:52

donate will be down below let's get him

37:54

to a million pounds for charity oh what

37:57

Journey that's going to be my last

37:59

marathon for a long

38:01

time also I think maybe we've been

38:03

saying tunia wrong I think it might be

38:06

tunia please don't make that the top

38:09

comment on this video because the top

38:11

comment on our train video through

38:13

Canada is me pronouncing the uh small

38:17

pieces of food that you get before we'll

38:19

write it on the screen a full meal we're

38:21

not going to say it I still don't know

38:22

how to say it right can that be I

38:24

honestly don't either I've tried to do

38:25

research and I still feel like I was

38:27

saying it right but that is obviously

38:29

not the consensus of it I read a bunch

38:31

of reviews that were like nightmare run

38:34

for this rental company oh it so I just

38:37

lowered my expectations like to the

38:39

bottom the weirdest rental car

38:41

experience ever some random lady like

38:44

approached us so I thought it was

38:45

definitely trying to scam us but then a

38:47

lady showed up with a folder they had

38:48

piece of paper with their name on it so

38:49

they knew we were coming so I'd be a

38:51

pretty impressive scam to pull off and

38:52

then she's like walked us out to a

38:54

random car at the parking lot so we may

38:55

be stealing this car I'm not sure hi Mr

38:58

Cal hello Mr

39:04

Cal before I

39:08

[Music]

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