What happened in this episode?
Rich Roll speaks with British ultra-endurance runner William Goodge about his planned “Mission America” attempt: running 50 marathons in 50 US states in 24 days, starting in Hawaii and finishing at the New York City Marathon. Goodge describes the attempt as logistically tighter than his prior point-to-point crossings, with multiple flights, a four-day buffer, and a need to keep each marathon under roughly five hours to stay on schedule.
Goodge explains his fundraising motivation through Stand Up To Cancer, rooted in his mother’s death from cancer, and reflects on how early running functioned as an outlet for grief and anger. He also addresses online scepticism that has followed previous projects, saying he will use redundant tracking (including two watches) and live location tools, and that Guinness World Records is working to recognise the 50-state attempt as an official record category.
The conversation also covers training and recovery choices: heat acclimation sessions using a sensor-guided suit and sauna work, high weekly mileage combined with speed and strength sessions, and strategies for sleep and fuelling during compressed travel windows. Goodge says he has typically avoided formal medical support such as physios and team doctors during challenges. In a separate segment, he gives a detailed personal account of high-dose psilocybin experiences, which he says changed his outlook on grief, empathy, and leadership.
