- William Goodge ran 3,175 miles across the US in 55 days.
- He ate 6,000 to 7,000 calories a day to fuel his 110,000 steps a day.
British ultra-runner William Goodge ran across the US, from LA to New York, in 55 days this spring, hitting the road for between 50 and 70 miles a day.
Goodge, who set off on April 2, broke his run into six-mile chunks, which lasted between 60 and 90 minutes depending on the terrain, incline, wind, and his energy levels. After each chunk, he would walk for 10 minutes to eat something and to check in with his team, and in the afternoon he'd have an hour-long break to nap.
Goodge told Insider he aimed to eat 6,000 to 7,000 calories each day to fuel the 110,000 daily steps he took on average, but this was difficult because he didn't want to feel too heavy to run.
He shared an example day of eating on his challenge with Insider.
Goodge ate a high-carb diet
Goodge had a chef on his team who prepared each of his meals and snacks.
While running, Goodge sipped 2,500 calories worth of a high-carb, electrolyte drink, which provided a constant stream of energy.
For breakfast, dinner, and during his 10-minute stops, he mainly ate whole foods that kept his energy levels stable and were easier to to digest than processed foods. However, he also enjoyed pastries and chips.
- Breakfast: Cereal and coffee
- Stop 1: Protein smoothie and pastry or donut
- Stop 2: Breakfast sandwich such as a bacon, egg, and avocado bagel, and a handful of nuts
- Stop 3: Vegan chilli and fruit, can of Coca-Cola
- Stop 4: Tuna wrap, vegetables, and hummus
- Stop 5: Sandwich, chips, vegetables, muffin
- Dinner: Cooked meal such as pasta or pizza
Goodge's protein smoothie recipe
Goodge's daily smoothie was designed to be high in calories to give him energy, providing about 1,200.
It was made from:
- Protein powder
- Spinach
- Frozen berries
- Banana
- Avocado
- Nut butter