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If I Can, I Will: William Goodge On Running 50 Marathons In 50 States In 24 Days

The Rich Roll Podcast1h 51m

William Goodge discusses his upcoming challenge of running 50 marathons in 50 states in 24 days starting October 9th, a feat requiring unprecedented logistical precision involving private jets, commercial flights, and military-style coordination. He shares his philosophy on overcoming fear, the role of psychedelics and grief in his athletic journey, and his commitment to raising money for Stand Up to Cancer in honor of his late mother.

Summary

William Goodge, a British ultramarathoner, details his audacious plan to run 50 marathons across 50 states in just 24 days, shattering the previous 50-in-50 records set by Dean Karnazes and others. The challenge begins October 9th in Hawaii and concludes at the NYC Marathon, requiring each marathon to be completed in under five hours. On four specific days (October 17th, 19th, 25th, and 30th), he will run three marathons in separate states within 24 hours.

The logistics are extraordinarily complex, involving roughly 50 people across various organizations including Goodwin (a private aviation logistics company), GoFundMe, and Stand Up to Cancer. The operation includes live trackers, multiple backup systems, state coordinators, and contingency plans. Goodge explains that a 20-day attempt was originally considered but expanded to 24 days to create a four-day buffer for inevitable delays in commercial and private flights, driving, and other variables. He will see his crew approximately every seven miles during races and will open the first three miles (and final 5K) of each marathon to public participation.

Goodge's motivation is deeply rooted in his mother's death from cancer when he was 23. Rather than self-destruct, he channeled his grief into running, raising substantial funds for cancer charities. This challenge represents his commitment to celebrating his mother's legacy while advancing cancer research and care through Stand Up to Cancer.

The conversation explores his training methodology, which includes heat training (influenced by ultrarunner Max Jolis's Badwater preparation), speed work despite the slow 10-12 minute mile pace of the event, strength training, and experimentation with fasted running. He discusses his relationship with psychedelics, specifically psilocybin, which he has used at key life moments. During a six-gram heroic dose experience in the countryside, he felt reconnected to his mother's presence and received insights about human perception and forgiveness. Before his America run, another experience in Colorado with mentors Robbie Ballinger and Jason helped him mature into a leadership role.

Goodge addresses criticism and skepticism about his previous accomplishments, particularly regarding heart rate data and tracking authenticity during his Australia crossing. He emphasizes that FKT (Fastest Known Time) has verified his Australia record and that Guinness World Records is officiating this 50-in-50 challenge. He uses dual watches, live trackers, visible routes, and an open-door policy for verification.

The discussion touches on the evolving ultra-running culture, with new athletes like Mark Dowdle and Rachel Untrick bringing different demographics and authentic storytelling to the sport. Goodge expresses admiration for various athletes—Max Jolis, Robbie Ballinger, Truett Haynes, Harvey Lewis, and George Mills—and how they inspire him while maintaining their individuality.

He emphasizes his philosophy of "Can I take another step?" as the mental framework for tackling these challenges, breaking down seemingly impossible tasks into immediate, manageable actions. He discusses recovery strategies including compression boots, strategic napping, whole-food fueling (targeting 6,000-9,000 calories daily), and the role of his core team in keeping him on schedule.

Goodge reflects on balancing his aspirational luxury lifestyle (travel, fine dining, exotic locations) with grounded training periods in places like Colorado. He argues this polarity mirrors athletic training's zone differentiation and that living fully is essential given his mother's early death. He also discusses his relationship with Robbie Ballinger as quasi-angelic, filling the void left by his mother's passing while serving as both mentor and emotional anchor.

About this episode

William Goodge is a British ultra-endurance athlete who just FKT'd his Australia crossing. In October, he runs 50 marathons in 50 states in 24 days. We get into the logistics, the strange polarity of a life spent between five-star hotels and the side of a trail, and what it's like to be doubted in public.  Will is the most aura-farming, Goodge-coded ultra mog I could possibly imagine. Enjoy! Show notes + MORE Watch on YouTube Newsletter Sign-Up Today’s Sponsors: TORRAS: Get 15% off the TORRAS Q3 Air Pro case with code RICHROLL👉🏼https://torraslife.com/products/iphone-17-pro-max-case-ostand-q3-air-pro  WHOOP: Join now and get one month free👉🏼https://www.join.whoop.com/Roll  Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much👉🏼https://www.airbnb.com/host  Momentous: Get up to 35% off your first order👉🏼https://www.livemomentous.com/richroll  Noble Mobile: Try Noble for just $10 with code RICHROLL👉🏼https://www.noblemobile.com  Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors👉🏼https://www.richroll.com/sponsors  Find out more about Voicing Change Media at https://www.voicingchange.media and follow us @voicingchange Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Key Insights

  • Goodge conceived the 50-in-50 challenge in 24 days rather than the typical 50 days used by previous record holders, cutting the timeframe nearly in half while building in a four-day buffer specifically for logistical failures like flight delays and vehicle breakdowns.
  • The challenge requires coordination from approximately 50 people across multiple organizations, with dedicated state coordinators in all 50 states and a live tracking system that allows real-time verification of his location and performance.
  • On four specific days during the 24-day period, Goodge will run three separate marathons in three different states within 24 hours, requiring completion of each marathon in under five hours to maintain schedule.
  • Goodge argues that his heart rate data skeptics are often driven by disbelief rooted in their own inability to achieve similar feats or by ill feelings toward his lifestyle, and he points to FKT's verification of his Australia crossing as institutional proof of authenticity.
  • Despite running at a 10-12 minute mile pace (unlikely to exceed five hours per marathon), Goodge incorporates speed work and tempo sessions into his training because different training stimuli produce better adaptations than simply logging high mileage at consistent pace.
  • Goodge's primary mental framework for tackling ultramarathons is the simple phrase 'Can I take another step?' which he applies to immediate, present-moment challenges rather than overwhelming himself with the total distance or challenge scope.
  • Goodge attributes his lack of upper body strength development during his running career to the functional inefficiency of carrying extra muscle mass while running long distances, though he maintains core strength and grip strength through farmers carries.
  • During a heroic-dose psilocybin experience, Goodge perceived what he describes as jets of perception representing different people's life lenses and worldviews, leading him to a profound sense that people's differing opinions and behaviors are justified by their unique lived experiences.
  • Goodge deliberately structures his life between two extremes—luxury travel and fine dining in major cities alternating with intense training in remote locations like Colorado—arguing this polarity mirrors the zone-based training principle in athletics.
  • Goodge's relationship with his mentor Robbie Ballinger involves a quasi-spiritual belief that Ballinger arrived in his life as an angelic replacement for his mother, providing both sage guidance and emotional stewardship through his ultrarunning journey.
  • Goodge argues that the ultra-running community's culture is now defined by diverse athletes with different backgrounds rather than a monolithic archetype, allowing people like Mark Dowdle (former football player) and Truett Haynes (jeans-wearing performance artist) to authentically represent the sport.
  • The challenge incorporates gamification elements including leaderboards, fundraising challenges on Strava, merchandise sales with donation portions, and public participation in opening 5K segments to democratize participation and increase awareness for Stand Up to Cancer.

Topics

50 marathons in 50 states in 24 days challengeLogistical planning and coordinationGrief processing through ultrarunningCancer charity fundraisingHeat training and athletic preparationPsychedelic experiences and personal transformationAddressing skepticism and verification of performanceUltra-running culture and emerging athletesMental resilience and the 'one step' philosophyRecovery and fueling strategiesLifestyle balance and living fullyMentorship and relationships

Transcript

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