If ‘life is like a box of chocolates’ it’s fair to say Rob Pope’s chocolate of choice is running.

Seeking a challenge no-one had completed before, he decided to follow the route Tom Hanks’ celebrated Forrest Gump character took in the film of the same name.

In all he covered 15,000 miles and travelled six times across America, even growing a Gump style beard in the process.

Rob Pope Forrest Gump

It’s far from the only challenge Rob has completed.

I talked to him on the Running Tales podcast about everything from winning the Nottingham Marathon, competing for America and Australia in elite races despite being a born and bred Liverpudlian and taking part in the gruelling Marathon des Sables.

You can listen to Rob’s interview on The Running Tales Podcast