The late American astronomer Carl Sagan is credited with coining the maxim that: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Although intended for the grand mysteries of the cosmos, the “Sagan standard” might also apply in the rather less consequential world of the DIY endurance challenge. In the era of sophisticated data tracking anyone making a public claim about extreme perseverance would be well-advised to document their feat as meticulously as possible. Failure to do so can result in that most modern of afflictions: The wrath of the Internet skeptic.
Just ask William Goodge. Last Saturday, the British endurance athlete, model, and low-wattage Instagram celebrity added his name to an exclusive list of people who have traversed the United States on foot. After setting out from the Huntington Beach Pier in Los Angeles on April 2, Goodge traveled 3,064 miles to arrive in Central Park 55 days, 23 hours, 51 minutes later on May 27—an average of about 55 miles per day. Goodge was running to honor his mother, who died of cancer in 2018. Affiliated GoFundMe pages collected donations for the American…
