British endurance athlete William Goodge has completed an extraordinary physical feat, becoming the fastest person to run across Australia, covering 3,800 kilometres from Perth to Sydney in just 35 days.
Setting off from Cottesloe Beach on April 15, Goodge averaged over 100 kilometres per day, battling heat, exhaustion, and vast stretches of unforgiving terrain. He crossed the finish line at Bondi Beach at 4:07pm on May 20, cheered on by hundreds of runners and supporters who joined him for the final leg from Centennial Park.
His time eclipses the previous record of 39 days and now stands as the fastest recorded foot crossing of Australia.
The run, completed in memory of his mother who died of cancer in 2018, also served as a fundraiser for the Cancer Council of Australia — adding purpose to the pain.
Visibly shredded and rarely seen with his shirt on, Goodge’s run wasn’t just a test of endurance — it became a travelling spectacle of grit, fundraising, and bare-chested Instagram posts.
View this post on Instagram
But while the effort has been widely praised as nothing short of extraordinary, it hasn’t come without controversy.
Some observers have flagged anomalies in his publicly shared Strava data, including brief spikes in speed that appear to match vehicular pace — as high as 80 km/h (Observed via Canadian Running Magazine) — along with unusually low heart rate readings for such sustained exertion. These inconsistencies have prompted speculation about the accuracy of the tracking and sparked concerns over potential “watch muling” — where a GPS device may be moved by a vehicle or another person.
Goodge has dismissed the claims, attributing the anomalies to GPS glitches and technical errors, stating his commitment to completing the run with integrity.
View this post on Instagram
Regardless of the debate, Goodge’s run stands as a remarkable display of endurance, determination, and fundraising spirit — one that has captured global attention and reignited discussion around the need for transparent verification standards in ultra-distance record attempts.
Sources:
Main reporting source for running data: This influencer is crushing a trans-Australia record—so why is there doubt? – Canadian Running Magazine
