The Rich Roll Podcast
The Rich Roll Podcast

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

September 17, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

William Goodge, a British ultra-runner, plans to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 24 days, starting October 3rd and finishing at the New York City Marathon. The original plan was 20 days, but a four-day buffer was added to account for travel delays and unforeseen problems. On most days he will run two marathons in two different states; on four occasions he will run three marathons in three different states within a single 24-hour period. The entire operation is built around a logistical puzzle that combines commercial flights, private jets, and van transfers, coordinated by a digital logistics company called Goodwin. Goodge describes the planning as "like a special forces operation," involving roughly 50 people across his partners and crew.

The Logistics of a Moving Marathon

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:29) **The Mission: 50 Marathons in 50 States in 24 Days** - Rich Roll introduces the unprecedented challenge: Will Goodge will run 50 marathons across all 50 states in just 24 days, cutting the previous record time in half.
  • 2 (09:35) **Logistics as a Core Challenge** - Will explains that the logistical complexity is a primary difficulty, requiring military-level precision to avoid a domino-effect failure.
  • 3 (13:02) **The Core Motivation: Grief and Philanthropy** - Will reveals that his mother’s death from cancer is the fundamental driver behind his ultra-endurance career and his partnership with Stand Up To Cancer.
  • 4 (24:18) **The Rise of Ultra Running Culture** - The conversation explores how ultra-running has exploded into the mainstream, attracting a new, diverse class of athletes and fans.
  • 5 (33:43) **Living in the Extremes: The Luxury vs. The Grind** - Rich Roll highlights the apparent contradiction in Will’s life: a jet-setting, luxury lifestyle paired with intense, humble suffering.
  • 6 (42:13) **The Mental Framework: "Can I Take Another Step?"** - Will shares his simple, powerful mental mantra for enduring extreme physical and emotional hardship.
  • 7 (46:03) **Recovery Strategy: Minimalist and Pragmatic** - Will outlines his surprisingly low-tech approach to recovery between marathons, focused on efficiency and sleep.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

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

The Rich Roll Podcast

More from this podcast

The Rich Roll Podcast →