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Rob Pope has embarked on an enormous journey, running across the United States to raise both funds and awareness for causes he really believes in - Peace Direct and the World Wildlife Fund.  

He's already crossed the nation FOUR TIMES, running from Mobile, Alabama all the way to Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, California.  He turned around and ran even further back across some 18 states to the Marshall Point Lighthouse in Maine.  When he got there, he turned around and kept on running! He then became the first person ever to run across the United States of America three times in a year since completing his third crossing in September 2017.  He's run over 15,000 miles so far and has begun the FIFTH leg of his run.

It's a huge distance - America is over 100 marathons wide - and Rob needs your support, so please check out the charities, make a donation, and if you're in the area, cheer him on! Maybe you could even join him for a run?

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WHERE'S ROB TODAY?

 

The schedule

  • 1ST STAGE: BEAUFORT, SC - YEMASSEE - VARNVILLE - ALLANDALE - SARDIS, GA - WRENS - SPARTA - MADISON - CONYERS - MARIETTA
  • 2ND STAGE (14TH JAN TO 20TH JAN): MARIETTA, GA - DALLAS - CEDARTOWN - CENTRE, AL - ALBERTVILLE - DECATUR - DANVILLE - MUSCLE SHOALS
  • 3RD STAGE - Whoooaaahhh - SO WAY BEHIND! CAN ONLY UPDATE PAGE WHEN I'M ON A PROPER COMPUTER, NOT MY PHONE. I'VE JUST GONE THROUGH OKLAHOMA CITY - HEADING TOWARDS AMARILLO, TX!
  • 4TH STAGE - JEEEEEZ. THAT WAS A DOOZY. FOOD POISONING, A FAILED MISSION TO RETRIEVE JENNY, A SEVERE RECURRENCE OF MY GROIN INJURY...BUT... GOT TO ADRIAN, TX - TUCUMCARI, NM - SANTA ROSA - MORIARTY - ALBUQUERQUE - GRANTS - GALLUP - CHAMBERS, AZ - HOLBROOK - WINSLOW - TWIN ARROWS...
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Image: Athletics Australia

Image: Athletics Australia

About ROb

Rob Pope is an emergency veterinarian by night and runner by day.

No beginner marathon runner, Rob became the Australian Marathon Champion at the Australian Marathon Championships in 2015, won the Liverpool Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 2015 and 2016, where he ran a personal best of 2:27:13.

All of that said this is - by a very long margin - Rob's biggest challenge to date , with the equivalent of almost 100 marathons between the west and east coasts of the United States!

Rob would appreciate any and all support, so please donate, send messages of support or if you're in the area, cheer him on in person.

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World Wildlife Fund

The World Wildlife Fund is the world's leading conservation organisation, working in 100 countries and with close to 5 million members globally.

WWF's initiatives:

  • Forests - Conserve the world's most important forests
  • Oceans - Safeguard healthy oceans and marine livelihoods
  • Fresh water - Secure water for people and nature
  • Wildlife - Protect the world's most important species
  • Food - Double net food availability; freeze its footprint
  • Climate - Create a climate-resilient and zero-carbon world, powered by renewable energy

Peace Direct

Peace Direct believe that local people have the power to find their own solutions to conflict – and to build their own better futures.

In the world’s most fragile countries, Peace Direct seek out local peace-builders who are making a real difference – building peace from the grassroots up, preventing conflict in the places where it starts – locally - by disarming rebels, resettling refugees, healing communities, reviving economies. They work at great personal risk on crucial problems like child soldiers, women and conflict, youth and peace, political violence. They are the key to preventing conflicts and creating a lasting peace.

Peace Direct find them, fund them, and promote their work to those in the wider world who can help with finance or influence.

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Latest from social media

Long post...bear with me! Recently, I was honoured to be asked to present the annual Legacy sports awards at Highfields School in Wolverhampton. Mr Brickwood of the PE department told me about their pretty special revamp of the traditional way we see sport at school and how there are achievements of all sorts that can be reached. They base their philosophy on three tenets: Head, Heart and Hands. Head concerns the ability to remain cool under pressure and make the right decisions and to be an effective leader. Heart (always my favourite) is the old Rocky spirit. Lots of effort, digging deep and playing in the right spirit, whilst Hands is the performance side of things. Obviously I change this to Feet under my breath 😉... There are some serious athletes at Highfields, but many, many more pupils who are making the most of their potential under the guidance of the really enthusiastic teaching staff. It was a real privelige to tell the huge audience about my story and how I used my Head, Heart and H...feet to get through and then hand out awards to all those who had excelled that year. I get the feeling it was a tough choice to pick winners from the nominees. I even had the opportunity to compete in the domino stacking challenge against one of their top athletes and one of the parents. After a few shaky handed minutes, I managed to win. Competitive bugger. I might be heading back next academic year to hand these legends a bit of a challenge. It may be the first of many. More on how these guys are inspiring me, coming soon... #Legacy #Highfields #School #Awards #Head #Heart #Hands www.goingthedistancerun.com #running #run #runner #runnersofinstagram #runchat #runultra #ultra #ultrarunner #ultrarunning #USA #transAmerica #instarunners #fitness #getoutdoors #road #WWF #peacedirect #Nike #goingthedistance #keepgoing #Forrest #Gump #forrestgump
Saw this in the physio clinic as I waited to try and be put back together... "USA'S BEST MUSIC CITIES". Wonder if anyone else has run to and between all of these? 😄 @natgeo @natgeotravel #neworleans #austin #memphis #tennessee #newyork #detroit #chicago #music www.goingthedistancerun.com #running #run #runner #runnersofinstagram #runchat #runultra #ultra #ultrarunner #ultrarunning #USA #transAmerica #instarunners #fitness #road #WWF #peacedirect #Nike #goingthedistance #keepgoing #Forrest #Gump #forrestgump
So I got invited by my little mate George Matthias of Run With George (@runwithgeorge - check him out!) fame to come and run with his school year...and more importantly draw the raffle with tickets bought with sponsor money for running a mile with us! George has run quite a few miles. He'll probably catch me up one day. All of these miles he's run, with many a famous person (and me) for company were to raise money for the wonderful @alderhey Children's Hospital and Charity to help them, just as they helped his little bro, James, when he was a wee diddler. He's only gone on to be the @prideofbritain Young Fundraiser of the year! Another £1,500 raised here too. What an absolute boss. Honoured to have been asked...tired out by the boundless energy of De La Sale St Helens' year 7. To paraphrase one of his gang: "Go sports! Sports is good!" Anyone think that's cool? Maybe drop a dollar or ten here for @WWF and @peacedirect: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=goingthedistancerun&pageUrl=2 #runwithgeorge #alderhey #delasalle #gosports #prideofbritain #boss www.goingthedistancerun.com #running #run #runner #runnersofinstagram #runchat #runultra #ultra #ultrarunner #ultrarunning #USA #transAmerica #instarunners #fitness #getoutdoors #road #WWF #peacedirect #Nike #goingthedistance #keepgoing #Forrest #Gump #forrestgump
Loving the Tour de France being on! Someone walking past this scene probably would have mistaken this for a photo shoot of Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome...Probably. A change of direction for me perhaps? ALLEZ ALLEZ ALLEZ! #tourdefrance #tdf #Allez #letour #sky #wiggo #Froome Anyone think that's cool? Maybe drop a dollar or ten here for @WWF and @peacedirect: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=goingthedistancerun&pageUrl=2 www.goingthedistancerun.com #running #run #runner #runnersofinstagram #runchat #runultra #ultra #ultrarunner #ultrarunning #USA #transAmerica #instarunners #fitness #getoutdoors #road #WWF #peacedirect #Nike #goingthedistance #keepgoing #Forrest #Gump #forrestgump
So I can't believe I never posted my final map on here! Seeing as there are a lot of new faces about (Hi!!) and all that jazz...well...here it is! 15,607 miles, 422 days, 37 miles a day. Think that's about 25 million steps. I shoulda counted! Looks like there's a couple of loose ends there though... #map #whale #long #America #roadlife Anyone think that's cool? Maybe drop a dollar or ten here for @WWF and @peacedirect: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=goingthedistancerun&pageUrl=2 www.goingthedistancerun.com #running #run #runner #runnersofinstagram #runchat #runultra #ultra #ultrarunner #ultrarunning #USA #transAmerica #instarunners #fitness #getoutdoors #road #WWF #peacedirect #Nike #goingthedistance #keepgoing #Forrest #Gump #forrestgump
 
 
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How you can help

Sure running's great for getting from A to B (or AL to CA) but in this case it's serving a much more important purpose, and that's where you come in.

The aim of Rob's run is to raise awareness and funds for these two amazing causes - the World Wildlife Fund and Peace Direct - and every little bit helps.

So what can you do to help?

1. Share

With everyone! And often!

2. Donate

Everything helps and is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 
Image: World Wildlife Fund

Image: World Wildlife Fund

Image: Peace Direct

Image: Peace Direct

3. SUPPORT TEAM

Rob will be supported by his long-suffering girlfriend Nadine (Nadla) who will fill various roles such as driver, chef, psychologist, logistics manager and chief reader of bedtime stories. Follow her blog, which is far more interesting than that running guy's blog

We also hope to have friends joining us to help out on the way. Feel free to contact us if you fancy getting involved!

We would love any help from local people along the way including:

  • Physiotherapists/Sports therapists
  • Doctors, dentists, nurses
  • RV Park, gas station, convenience store, restauarant owners
  • Local media/marketing representatives
  • Friendly people with a spare bed/a big bowl of chilli that needs eating/somewhere to park

...and of course: RUNNERS!

We look forward to meeting you!

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Sponsors

Please support the wonderful sponsors of Rob's run, who are contributing to some terrific causes

If you'd like to get involved in company sponsorship , please get in touch via the contact page