Rishi Sunak has joined a man who ran the entire length of Africa for a run around a London park.
The Prime Minister ditched his suit and tie for trainers and shorts while chatting to Russell Cook, nicknamed “Hardest Geezer”.
The pair discussed the benefits of exercise on mental health, the PM’s gruelling schedule and how Mr Sunak bonded with his wife on the running trails at university.
Mr Sunak, 43, said: “I got into running properly when I was at graduate school. I took up running because my wife was a big runner. We worked together at the time and I thought it’s a great way to spend time with her.”
Mr Cook said he took up the sport because he was overweight and had a gambling problem but decided he’d “had enough” and ran 11 miles home from a nightclub.
He told the Prime Minister how he had struggled “quite a lot in his teenage years while jogging around Westminster.
The runner said: “I was working a job I didn’t really like. There was a lack of connection with family. All of those things don’t add up to great mental health. I wasn’t exercising.”
The 27-year-old from Worthing, West Sussex, raised more than £1 million for charity through his epic challenge.
Mr Sunak said: “Your story is very inspiring. You talking to people about the benefits of strong family relationships, finding work that you have purpose and fulfilment in and getting out and about exercising – all those things contribute to good, positive mental health. People hearing that from someone like you and seeing that you were able to overcome all the challenges you did – and look at you now – if everyone just heard that, that’s going to do more good than any amount of Government policy.”
Members of the public are seen telling both Mr Sunak and Mr Cook that they are doing a good job.
Mr Cook told Mr Prime Minister that he could not imagine the responsibilities that come with being Britain’s leader.
Mr Sunak said: “It’s not an easy time to do the job but we keep going, right.”
Mr Cook’s extreme challenge began at South Africa’s most southerly point on 22 April 2023, and finished more than 10,190 miles (16,400km) north in Tunisia.
He had originally planned to complete the equivalent of 360 marathons in 240 days but extended the challenge due to complications.
The ultrarunner, who went through 30 pairs of trainers throughout the challenge, raised money for The Running Charity and Sandblast.
