'Hardest Geezer' awarded honorary university degree after raising over £1m for charity during historic Africa run

The 352-day journey covering over 10,000 miles across 16 countries raised more than £1m for charity, attracting millions of viewers on YouTube.

He has now received an honorary Master of Sport degree from the University of Chichester.

The 28-year-old, from Worthing, West Sussex, was credited with "inspiring millions through his relentless pursuit of the impossible" by the university.

They added: "Russ’s achievements extend beyond physical endurance. His journey is a testament to the power of purpose, community, and mental fortitude."

His journey, which Mr Cook recorded in daily video diary entries, began in Cape Agulhas in South Africa and concluded in Cape Angela in Tunisia, where he was joined by supporters from across the world for the final marathon.

Crowds were cheering as he crossed the finish line, with many chanting "geezer".

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He told those who had been following his journey to the finish line: "Mission completed."

The Worthing man overcame armed robbery, illness, injury, and extreme terrain, whilst raising money for The Running Charity and Sandblast.

On one occasion in Angola, he and his support team had cameras, phones, cash, passports and visas stolen.

After day 200, Mr Cook was forced to reduce his mileage and intensity at the request of a doctor in Nigeria, forcing him to miss consecutive days on days 205 and 206 before continuing his journey.

This year, Mr Cook ran the full length of New Zealand in just 73 days in a fresh challenge.

On receiving the award, Mr Cook said: "It’s a big honour and not something that I thought would ever come my way. I’m surprised and very grateful to accept this.

"I’ve learnt that I’m more capable than I ever gave myself credit for.

"All of my successes have been built on failure and learning from it.

He added: "Don’t be scared of it, it’s all part of the process. When you fail, dust yourself off and try again.

"It’s not so much about the achievement but about the journey along the way, like the meal we shared with a poor Nigerian family who kindly invited us to stay the night in their home."

Mr Cook told students not to be scared to fail and keep attacking life with as much passion as they can.

The record breaker has now set up his own adventure travel company, where he aims to help others experience the world through amazing adventures, including treks to Everest Base Camp, Machu Picchu, and Kilimanjaro.