How Far Did Forrest Gump Run and Is It Possible To Repeat?

    “Forrest Gump” is a classic movie. Released in 1994, it was a big hit. It earned $149 million in the US and $480.9 million worldwide. The movie was directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on Winston Groom’s book.

    The movie made the book a bestseller. By the end of 1995, the reissued novel, with a movie poster on the cover, sold 1.4 million copies.

    The Oscar-winning movie starring Tom Hanks has many moments that make it a modern classic. But perhaps the most memorable moment is the main characterโ€™s three-year run.

    How Far Did Forrest Gump Run and Is It Possible To Repeat?

    How Far Did Forrest Gump Run?

    Forrest states he ran for “3 years, 2 months, 14 days, 16 hours,” totaling 1,169 days. During this time, he covered 19,024 miles, or approximately 30,610 km. Some sources, however, claim he ran 15,248 miles (24,534 km).

    When Forrest caught the press’s attention with his run, people asked him why. They suggested reasons: for peace, the homeless, women’s rights, the environment, and animals. Yet, he ran simply because he wanted to, leaving the past behind.

    Forrest started running after his mother died, and he was separated from Jenny. Once he worked through his feelings, he finished his run without being tied to any place.

    Is Such a Race Possible in Real Life?

    Experts and ultramarathoners prove that long-term running is possible. It demands mental toughness, good preparation, and stamina. Initially, daily running might be tough. Yet, the body adapts, and it becomes routine.

    In the end, Forrest ran at a comfortable pace. He was free from family or work distractions. When tired, he stopped. When hungry, he ate.

    I ran because I had to run. I didn’t think about where this would lead me.

    Forrest ran without a goal, without a finish point, without a desire to reach a certain mileage. This psychological setting does not allow you to run quickly, but it makes it possible to move for a very long time.

    The main character would still have injuries. At least, calluses and black nails. Long-term running could cause Gump stress fractures, and knee or joint pain.

    Sports facts about the movie

    Best sports movie

    Fans of various sports see the main character as one of them. Forrest is passionate about soccer, table tennis, running, and parkour throughout the movie.

    Nike

    Today, everyone knows Nike. But in 1971, it was barely known. Then, Jenny gifted Forrest a pair of Nike Cortez sneakers.

    Start date

    On the first day of the race, Forrest runs past people watching the news. News reports say that President Jimmy Carter collapsed from heat exhaustion during a six-mile run.

    Based on this information, Forrest’s launch date may be October 1, 1979.

    Age of the main character

    Forrest began his ultramarathon at the age of 35.

    Average mileage

    On average, Forrest ran 16 miles (25.7 km) per day.

    Location

    Forrest started in the fictional town of Greenbow, located in Alabama. From there, he headed west to the Pacific coast. Having reached the end of the country, he turned around to run east to Maine, to the Atlantic coast.

    This was not enough for him, and he crossed the country for the second time, reaching California. Gump’s finish was in Utah, in Monument Valley, where he simply stopped, said he was tired, and went home.

    Forrest Gump Route

    Running technique

    Christopher McDougall, author of “Born to Run,” praised Tom Hanks’s running. He said that Tom Hanks ran perfectly. His back was straight, he landed mid-foot, and his arms were relaxed.

    Running Shoes

    Christopher McDougall also noted that Gump’s sneakers were the right shoes for his time. This was an early Nike model with a minimal drop.

    By the way, experts recommend changing running shoes every 500 km. So, if Forrest followed advice like this, he would have to wear out 61 pairs of shoes.

    Based on real events

    In the story, Forrest’s run across the country was inspired by a real person. In 1982, 16-year-old Louis Michael Figueroa crossed the United States from the East to the West coast. He did it to raise awareness of cancer and collect money for the American Cancer Society.

    According to some reports, Louis is the youngest person to complete such a run.

    Table tennis

    Forrest Gump became the world champion in table tennis. But how did the actor manage to master this game? Thanks to computer graphics, there were no table tennis balls during filming. Hanks only had to swing a racket.

    Financing

    Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis financed Gump’s running scene themselves because Paramount lacked the funds. Zemeckis saw this scene as key. So, he and Hanks struck a deal with Paramount. They covered the costs, and in return, the studio shared most of the profits with them. The scene lasts seven minutes.

    Running in Forrest’s life

    At first, Forrest, as a child, runs away from bullies. In this scene, we hear Jenny’s well-known phrase: โ€œRun, Forrest, run.โ€ Then, in college, Gump also fled bullies. He interrupted soccer training by running across the field faster than the players. Later, in the army, his speed and endurance let him save his fellow soldiers. He carried them away from the battlefield.

    Forrest Gump in Real Life

    Jamie McDonald from the UK ran over 5,000 miles (about 8,045 km) across Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.

    39-year-old Rob Pope from Liverpool broke the record of Forrest Gump. In September 2016, Rob set off from Mobile, Alabama, and traveled 15,300 miles (about 24,618 km) in 420 days (1 year and 55 days).

    Forrest, according to one of the opinions, ran 15,248 miles (24,534 km). On average, Pope ran 40 miles (64 km) daily. Pope previously won the 2015 Australian Marathon Championship. He also won the Liverpool Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 2015 and 2016โ€”the latter race with a personal record of 02:27:13.

    How Far Did Forrest Gump Run and Is It Possible To Repeat?

    Russia also has its own Forrest Gump. This is Alexander Caper, who in 2017 ran a distance of 4,970 miles (8,000 km) from Moscow to Beijing in 200 days. He crossed Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, finishing in the Chinese capital.

    In April 2011, Pat Farmer, an Australian ultramarathoner, began his run at the North Pole. Eleven months later, he finished at the South Pole, covering 13,048 miles (21,000 km). To meet his goal, he ran two marathons daily. However, the 21,000 km included parts he couldn’t run, like impassable taiga and ocean waters. For these, he traveled by air.

    In 1980, Canadian Terren Fox, with cancer and a prosthetic instead of his right leg, ran 3,338 miles (5,373 km) across Canada in 143 days.

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