10 Aug 2022
A vet who recreated the story of Forrest Gump when he ran across the United States has completed another epic fund-raising run – and he’s not finished yet.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Rob Pope is no stranger to a challenge, having spent 18 months running more than 15,500 miles across the US from 2016 to 2018.
A vet from Liverpool has completed a major new charity challenge, running the width of Ireland in less than 24 hours.
Rob Pope completed the 135 miles from Galway to Dublin last weekend in a new challenge for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – starting and finishing the challenge with a pint of Guinness.
Mr Pope is no stranger to epic athletic challenges, having spent 18 months running more than 15,500 miles across the United States between 2016 and 2018, raising tens of thousands of pounds for WWF and Peace Direct along the way.
But despite covering around 40 miles a day during that challenge, inspired by the Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump, there was a more practical aim to it too.
Writing on his online donation page, Mr Pope said: “I want to see if I can, basically. I’ve never run this far before in one go and I want to see how it feels.
“If I make it, great. If not, I’ll know a hell of a lot more about myself for now and the future, and I’ll be proud of myself for starting.
“Maybe seeing me win, lose or draw will inspire you to do something, to challenge yourself, or make a difference.
“Just remember, and this is the most important point of this run – it’s giving it your best that counts, not whether you impress others or present the perfect image.”
Mr Pope is already close to achieving his initial £2,000 fund-raising target for WWF and has already hinted at a further challenge to support Peace Direct.
To donate, visit Mr Pope’s JustGiving page.
