A new world record has been set by a British ultra-endurance athlete, who completed a gruelling 35-day journey running across the length of Australia. William Goodge, 31, began the 3,800km run from Cottesloe Beach in Perth on April 15 and reached Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach on Monday afternoon, with his father accompanying him.
Hailing from Bedfordshire in England, Goodge averaged about 100km per day, which is equivalent to two-and-a-half marathons. His motivation for embarking on this incredible feat stems from the loss of his mother, Amanda, to cancer in 2018. Goodge dedicated this run to raising funds for cancer charities in the UK, US, and Australia.
The previous world record for running across Australia was held by Chris Turnbull, who completed the journey in 39 days in 2023. In a previous year, Australian electrician Nedd Brockmann achieved the same feat in 47 days, raising millions for charity along the way. Reflecting on his challenging journey, Goodge described it as a “revolving nightmare that wouldn’t end,” especially during the initial nine difficult days. Despite facing physical and mental struggles, he pushed through, drawing strength from his mother’s resilience in her battle against cancer.
Moments after finishing, Goodge honored his mother’s memory by laying a bouquet of flowers on Bondi Beach. He shared that his late mother was a significant influence in his life and that he believes she would be proud of his accomplishments. Throughout the journey, Goodge encountered various hardships, such as losing toenails, experiencing foot injuries, and hallucinating due to sleep deprivation. He credited his mother’s legacy for providing him with the mental fortitude to move forward, as he felt her presence with him during the toughest moments of the run
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