Robert Pope : ACDC ? “Genuinely lovely people”
In May 2025, Marathons.com had the privilege of speaking at length with Robert Pope about his extraordinary American journey in the footsteps of Forrest Gump (25,000 km in 422 days), completed in 2018. The Liverpool native had hinted at it during that interview: another adventure was already on the cards. At the end of 2025, he took on a 2,000 km charity run between Melbourne and Brisbane. Always with a smile.
Love can make great things possible. In Robert Pope’s case, his passion for rock music helped him write a new epic chapter in his athletic journey (see the May 2025 article Robert Pope, always running). It was while looking at the dates and locations of AC/DC’s Australian tour that something suddenly clicked in the runner’s mind. “We were considering moving back to Australia, so the three of us went over to explore different neighbourhoods and see how it felt. There was no clear plan. Then AC/DC announced their tour… I never tried to involve them. At best, I thought they might post a message of support,” he explains. Then an email from the legendary band’s team changed everything. What was meant to be a leisure trip turned into an incredible adventure along Australia’s east coast: four weeks solo and unsupported, covering a total of 1,973 kilometres between the capital and Brisbane, following the band’s tour. Why 1,973? Robert chose that figure as a tribute to the Australian rock band, founded in that very year.
From 16 November to 18 December 2025, Robert Pope ran in support of three charities (The Smith Family, NSPCC and WWF) and, with AC/DC’s involvement, raised close to €60,000 through an initiative called Highway to Help. You can still contribute to the fundraising campaign here. The first two charities support young children living in poverty in England and Australia. WWF works to protect the animal world, a cause close to Robert’s heart as a veterinarian.
The true “pope of the road” told us all about his adventure — one that featured Achilles heels and snakes, worthy of Greek mythology…
| Between your achievements and meeting AC/DC, your daughter is going to be talking about her dad at school again…
Oh yeah, cheers, mate. She really is proud. Apparently, kids go home and tell their parents, like, “Bee’s dad did this,” and the parents say, “No, he didn’t.” Then they look it up and realise, “Oh… actually, yeah, he did.” I still haven’t done a talk or a presentation at her school yet, but maybe one day…
© Robert Pope
| First of all, what did it feel like to cover those 2,000 kilometers across Australia, from Melbourne to Brisbane?
Yeah, it was hard. I’m older than I was when I did America, and I was a bit worried. Even on the very first day, my achilles was really, really painful. I honestly thought I might have to quit within a couple of days if it didn’t improve. But it did. As the days went on, it settled, and from there it was really about managing injuries as I went. The Achilles, the hip, those things would flare up from time to time, but I could usually stretch or do some strengthening work that kept the wolf from the door.
| In the very first meters of this long journey, did you have any doubts?
Ultra runners are almost always managing a problem. When I did my first big run, there weren’t many eyes on me at the start. This time, there were — and some very important ones. AC/DC knew about it, and they were fully behind it. Maybe I was tense on that first day. Maybe that’s why my achilles was hurting so much. I was nervous. I really didn’t want to have to call them after a day or two and say, “Yeah, I’ve quit… after one day.” That would have been awful. So that pressure became extra motivation. Even if they hadn’t been involved, I would have continued unless I physically couldn’t go on. But yes, it was a worry. One of the reasons I did this was to see if I still could. And if that’s your reason, you’re obviously starting with some doubts.
I really didn’t want to have to call them after a day or two and say, “Yeah, I’ve quit… after one day.” That would have been awful. So that pressure became extra motivation.
Robert Pope
| How did you resolve those knee problems ?
I’ve got a solid 15-minute yoga routine that really helps ease the body overall. I was also taking anti-inflammatories routinely. I just assumed inflammation was inevitable, so I planned for it. Rest was also key. I planned my distances so I would always finish near a motel. Some days were as short as 45 km, some close to 100 km. Because I didn’t have vehicle support, I couldn’t overshoot and come back. So no matter the weather or how I felt, I had to reach my destination each day.
| In fact, I remember you said “it’s the kind of fun of type two, of the one that is better after“….
(smiles) Yeah, exactly. There was a lot of normal fun too — it wasn’t miserable all the time. But it was hard. You can’t enjoy something that’s hard every single moment. The enjoyment often comes afterwards.
| Your audience was able to follow your journey through your stories, and there were some tough moments out on the Australian trails…
It was on a completely wrecked trail… When you go through moments like that, I don’t know whether it’s better to mentally switch off or, on the contrary, to stay fully focused. The journey was long, and that moment was stressful because I didn’t have any maps. There was often no internet connection. All I had was a screenshot of the day’s route — maybe 80 kilometres. I could roughly see where I was supposed to be and compare it to my little blue dot, but the map never fully loaded. Especially in higher-altitude areas, with forest cover, there was no signal at all. Sometimes I’d get a tiny bit of reception, but never enough to really help me navigate.
| Australia is often known for its tough conditions—nature, wildlife… did you struggle with that at all?
Yeah — I was actually attacked by a brown snake, one of the most venomous snakes in the world. I think I ran over its tail with the stroller. It lunged at us, almost corkscrewed, and I think it bit the wheel. Google Maps took me from road to gravel, then onto grass — and that’s dangerous. I was near train tracks, and snakes love them because the stones hold heat. The stroller wheel ended up between me and the snake, which probably saved us. I lifted the stroller onto a live train track and stayed there for about a kilometre, constantly looking over my shoulder for trains.
I also rescued a goat that had its head stuck in a fence. Even then, I was worried about snakes in the long grass. I remember thinking: if I get bitten saving this goat, I won’t be happy.
| A month after coming back, what images or memories stand out the most?
There were some big highlights. Getting to Sydney was cool, Byron Bay was great, and finishing was obviously brilliant. At the end, I arrived near the stadium but had to do an extra 11 kilometres. I reached the stadium at 1,962 km, but I needed to reach 1,973 — the year the band was formed. So I did six or seven laps of the stadium. People started hearing about it, more people turned up, the atmosphere grew, and then there was a guard of honour at the end. That made it really special. And of course, seeing the band — not just meeting them, but the concert itself — that was incredible.
| How did this whole story begin with AC/DC?
We were thinking about possibly moving back to Australia, so the three of us went over to look at neighbourhoods and see how it felt. There was no fixed plan. Then AC/DC announced their tour. We thought, right, let’s go — we’ll see them in Melbourne. They were playing at the MCG, which is massive, and I just thought it would be incredible. When I looked at the tour dates, I realised they were finishing in Brisbane. I wondered how far that was. If you’re doing something for charity, it still needs to be engaging. About 500 kilometres a week felt right — less than that might look easy, more than that, especially in the heat, would be miserable. It was going to be around 30 degrees most days. And with a stroller, you don’t want to run in the dark — especially in Australia, where you don’t know what you’re stepping on. I didn’t go looking for AC/DC’s involvement.
I thought maybe, at best, they might post something online saying thanks. I was a member of an AC/DC forum and asked if anyone had an inflatable SG guitar, because I was running dressed as Angus Young. Someone from the band must have seen it. I got an email from the law firm that represents them in the US, asking to put me in touch with management. I honestly thought it might be a scam. But the head of their management said she saw what we were trying to do and was really taken by it. They didn’t just give me a guitar — they put them into production, sold them at shows, had the band sign them. In the end, nearly 200 were signed and sold, with all the money going to charity. They’re genuinely lovely people. The crew were checking in on me, asking how I was doing. I even asked Stevie if they’d had a sweepstake on when I’d fail. He said no — they just assumed I’d do it. That meant a lot.
I even asked Stevie if they’d had a sweepstake on when I’d fail. He said no — they just assumed I’d do it. That meant a lot.
Robert Pope
| Another memorable anecdote from this tour?
Before “Back in Black,” Brian Johnson addressed the crowd in Melbourne and said, “Let’s have some rock and roll — and root for Rob! Run, Rob, run!” The crowd went wild. There’s video of it — it was unbelievable.
Editor’s note : in the video below around the 30-second mark, Brian Johnson is paying tribute to Robert Pope…
| And to wrap things up with music… What’s your favourite AC/DC song?”
I’ve been asked that before, and I just can’t choose between Highway to Hell, It’s a Long Way to the Top, Jailbreak, Back in Black, Ride On and Live Wire…
| You ran in support of three charities whose causes are close to your heart. Are you happy with the support you received?
We’ve raised nearly 100,000 Australian dollars — possibly over. That includes the guitars. Without AC/DC, there’s no way we’d have reached that level. That was my target, but I honestly didn’t think we’d hit it. So to actually do it was amazing. Americans were maybe more curious, more vocal. But in Australia, I met wonderful people. People would stop to check if I was okay, ask if I needed help. In towns, I talked to lots of people. That was really enjoyable.
| What’s next ?
People always ask that. I’ve always said I’d like to go from where I finished in the US to the ocean one last time. I’d like to do that before 2028, to have it all done within ten years. Maybe I’ll do it around the next US election — that could be an interesting time to be there. But the Australia run was also about seeing if I still enjoyed it, and if I still could do it. And honestly, if I never did anything like that again, I’d be okay. I’m at peace with it. I’m not saying I’m done forever — just that if nothing big comes next, that’s fine too.
Truly a big-hearted runner. After his Australian journey, Robert Pope is now back in Liverpool, where he has returned to his day-to-day work as a veterinarian. Marathons.com warmly thanks him for this interview… and waits with (im)patience to see him set off again. When Robert runs, the whole world runs with him.
MORE
– Highway to Help fundraising page
– Instagram Robert Pope
Charles-Emmanuel PEAN
Journaliste
