US coast-to-coast ultra-runner 'had late mum's angel at his side'

• Andy Ward of ITV News Anglia reports on William Goodge's incredible feat

An ultra-runner dubbed the British Forrest Gump has completed his coast-to-coast run across the US - driven on by the "angel" of his late mother at his side.

William Goodge covered the 3,100 miles from Los Angeles to New York in just 55 days, 10 days faster than any other Brit to have taken on the challenge.

Only 300 people have ever completed the run, which involved running an average of nearly 60 miles a day - more than two full marathons - through a variety of terrains and conditions.

"We kind of went through it all actually - everything other than hurricanes and snowfall," he told GMB.

"It got up to 37 degrees, and at its coldest it was minus 17, so we really saw everything."

The 29-year-old's efforts have seen him dubbed the "British Forrest Gump" - the loveable hero played by Tom Hanks in the Oscar-winning film.

In 2021, Mr Goodge completed 48 marathons in 30 days, running across every county in England.

Throughout his latest challenge he was motivated - as he has been in each of his remarkable running feats - by the memory of his mother, Amanda, who died of cancer just over five years ago.

His latest run has raised more than £50,000 for cancer charities.

"No one with a life-threatening disease has chosen to be in that position so when that next step for me seems impossible or hard, I think about that and the amount of strength my mum showed in fighting cancer - it's not comparable," he said.

"There was never a moment I was going to stop.

"I always say I've got an angel on my side, so I was confident the whole way through and I was ready for whatever was going to come."

Mr Goodge said his next challenge could be to complete a run across Europe.

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