The Ozarks: The halfway point for an Englishman’s trek across America

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Only a fraction of people know how hard it is to run 26.2 miles, also known as a marathon, but what about running two marathons per day for two months?

That’s what one man is doing as he hopes to end one of the leading causes of death in America.

William Goodge is touring the United States on his feet for 3,175 miles. He’s aiming to be the fastest Englishman to run from Los Angeles, California to New York City, New York.

“Try to get to New York as quickly as possible,” said Goodge, who grew up in England.

His journey took him through Springfield and the Ozarks.

“Probably the waviest car state I’ve been at so far,” he said. “I’ll always say thank you because that’s just how I am when a car goes around, and I think percentage wise Missourians have waved back and given me the biggest smile.”

Perhaps his warmest welcome was from Mountain Grove’s Grady Bolin.

“I just got inspired to come out here,” said Bolin. “Even being a runner it’s hard to wrap your head around 50-60 miles a day, every day for 64 days.”

“It’s as big as it gets as far as a large endurance event,” said crew member and ultra-endurance athlete Robbie Balenger. Balenger ran across America in 2019.

“It’s unbelievably hard. It’s incredible just the fortitude and the positive attitude he’s keeping to it. I think that a lot of where his success comes from is just keeping the right mindset,” Balenger said.

The birth of Goodge’s journey came from personal pain, and not the physical type.

“I’m doing it in memory of my mom who unfortunately passed away from cancer five and a half years ago. I couldn’t make it just be another sad story of somebody passing away from cancer. It affects us all,” Goodge said.

“His running was a practice of mourning his mother, and now it’s more to memorialize,” Balenger added.

Missouri marks more than halfway across the country, but his focus isn’t on the finish line.

“We’re out here raising money for the American Cancer Society in the U.S. and the Macmillan Cancer Support in the U.K. They personally cared for her in the U.K. so trying to eradicate cancer as well is a huge passion of mine,” Goodge said. “My mom up in the heavens would be very proud and concerned as well. Definitely concerned but very proud.”

You can find out more about William Goodge’s run across the United States here.

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