This thread was originally titled, "Incredible development in the $612,000 Transcon Goodge run, currently ongoing" but the new title is more descriptive. The description of the run is here.
He says he's not good enough to take down Kostelnick, but "if I was cheating, that's who I would go after." Well, they painted the entire side of their van with "Fastest Englishman of all time" which is a bold statement for a 3:06 marathoner, but they're clearly now locked into that pace.
25 April 2021 he posted a 42.18km run ("virtual marathon") on Strava - nearly there Will, why did you stop? .
I don't believe that 2:50 on his own in a deserted Battersea Park at all. I dashed to look it up, no splits or data. Can you find anything?
His heart-rate was around 170 for his 3:06. And his half marathon pb is 94. Even a 2:43 marathoner would have to take a deep breath to run 2:50 all alone, when frankly it doesn't really matter, as virtual, why smash yourself up?
How very convenient that his 15 MINUTE marathon PB was alone, out of competition. It's the equivalent of a 1,500 runner scoring a 3:35 in a race, but a 3:18 on his own.
I don't believe that 2:50 on his own in a deserted Battersea Park at all. I dashed to look it up, no splits or data. Can you find anything?
His heart-rate was around 170 for his 3:06. And his half marathon pb is 94. Even a 2:43 marathoner would have to take a deep breath to run 2:50 all alone, when frankly it doesn't really matter, as virtual, why smash yourself up?
How very convenient that his 15 MINUTE marathon PB was alone, out of competition. It's the equivalent of a 1,500 runner scoring a 3:35 in a race, but a 3:18 on his own.
Can see where you're coming from, but this is a posh boy fitness influencer who doesn't train properly - I'm just assuming that he was actually doing more running and less bench press in 2021 than with his recent 3 hour plus efforts.
It's still hardly that impressive is it? Not sure why he'd bother faking this one.
Out of interest, what's so fishy about his HR dropping at the same time as his splits and cadence?
Can't say I'm entirely convinced by either tales but after a quick look it appears the latter part of the runs are being done at a much slower pace and as a result his HR and cadence are lower, which would be normal? HR in the 110-120 range when covering 16min/miles is fairly normal.
Agree that he should be wearing the tracker and doing this properly if he truly wants Tulloh's record and to be the "Fastest Englishman".
Just look at his IG. He appears to be a pretty boy/work out bro with no ultra-running experience. I am calling BS on this. The HR will drop if he is riding/sitting inside the van going really slow.
I’m as interested as the next person in hearing about the data, but if you’re just going to use this as an excuse to engage in pretty boy bashing, I’m packing up my Clinique and On stuff and leaving for the gym.
Your "quick look" has sent you down a rabbit hole. Yesterday's data is clean as a whistle. Check out the 15 days before, and most importantly 2-13, and come back to me again if you don't get it.
The HR nosedives but his pace doesn't. I know this is a long thread but I have made this point in acute detail about 20 times. And it is a feature of over 3,000k of his running at big fund-raisers over the past 4 years.
Yep, and has picked up a nasty cough in the last 48 hours.
The gallows sweepstake of how he quits could begin. RY was a sore toe I think.
I will go:
1) persistent cough... fever... illness.
2) knee
3) hammy
4) back.
But not blisters as his feet are smoother and softer than a baby's bottom.
Injury lottery? My money is on upper quad.
Or he should try this gambit: "We were contacted by a cardiologist who was concerned about Goodge's abnormally low heart rate, and we decided, for his own safety to call off the run until he is diagnosed."
That might work better than claiming he was just kidding...
Well the only other explanation for his lack of fatigue is that the products he is marketing are on a new level to what we have seen before, which is very unlikely.
I concur wity the view that he should run a 6 day race to prove his credentials. In fact, I would encourage anyone planning a point to point multiday run - whether UK end to end, US transcon or anything else - to run a 6 or 10 day race first in order to prepare yourself for your challenge.
Have you tried any of these products? If not how do you know this is "unlikely"?
An absolutely fascinating sociological story into the modern day age of influencing, pyramid selling, fake acclaim and achievement, the murkiness that GoFundMe can attract, and the social media age.
Veiled narcissism appears to be the story of our age. But using your mother's name, and messages of mental health?
I've said it before: I really don't want to outright say 'he's cheating', not least with the extent of the duplicity, and what it would say about the character of those involved, but the data...
FOUR YEARS worth of discrepancies coincidentally occurring during the sponsored events, across multiple continents, with different hardware, exhibiting the same pattern.
But these things are clearly happening. Splashed across the back pages today, including one of the leading articles on BBC Sport, is a story of a middle aged Australian doctor cheating during an ultra-run.
Well the only other explanation for his lack of fatigue is that the products he is marketing are on a new level to what we have seen before, which is very unlikely.
I concur wity the view that he should run a 6 day race to prove his credentials. In fact, I would encourage anyone planning a point to point multiday run - whether UK end to end, US transcon or anything else - to run a 6 or 10 day race first in order to prepare yourself for your challenge.
Have you tried any of these products? If not how do you know this is "unlikely"?
He could be mainlining EPO, it doesn't explain why his heart rate drops ~25%+ with corresponding increases in speed, and why this has happened consistently during sponsored events for four years (pre-dating some of the products), but never during events with witnesses.
Once or twice and you can write it off as a quirk. But it's a quirk completely unique to Will which has occurred across multiple continents and hardware changes (watches, GPS etc), and one which his team isn't even acknowledging.
British ultrarunner William Goodge has run from John O’Groats to Land's End, raced across the Sahara and done 48 marathons in 30 days – now he’s in the middle of his greatest challenge yet. Running from LA to NYC is a 3,175-m...
"Up until about the age of 22 I hated running and didn’t see the point of it. With team sports there’s a victory to be had – there’s tackling, scoring, working with your teammates. In running, it’s a singular action over and over again where unless you’re the likes of Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge, you basically don't win. Most people run just to take part. I enjoyed the action of doing it, but I wanted the feeling of winning something."
"I never thought I’d make running a career."
"I’m grateful, because I can't tell you how expensive it all is – it's embarrassing. But I really wanted to make sure on this challenge that the crew got paid."
"I’ve always been quite mature for my age, but a lot of my growth has come from running and my experiences. If you'd have looked at my life as a model, before I started running, you might have thought, “Wow, he's travelling between London and New York and LA all the time”..."
^ sounds like the crew got paid in order to be complicit with the cheating. In his quote he also states how he wants to experience a feel of "winning" but essentially adds he's not a winner. How does a loser win? They cheat. I looked into this Robbie Young character and it appears when the eyes became more observant, he suddenly crumbled and gave up, knowing he couldn't do it legitimately. If the pressure is put on a liar/cheater, that's how they crumble. They don't like people who dig and are relentless. They like people who are gullible and don't think critically or bother to examine things deeper.
^ sounds like the crew got paid in order to be complicit with the cheating. In his quote he also states how he wants to experience a feel of "winning" but essentially adds he's not a winner. How does a loser win? They cheat. I looked into this Robbie Young character and it appears when the eyes became more observant, he suddenly crumbled and gave up, knowing he couldn't do it legitimately. If the pressure is put on a liar/cheater, that's how they crumble. They don't like people who dig and are relentless. They like people who are gullible and don't think critically or bother to examine things deeper.
But for the whole team to be cheating? Including a family member?
And if he's cheating then you'd need a psychiatrist to get to the bottom of what's really going on given the heavy nature of what running means to him, with the sad passing of his mother.
Anyway. No activity on the tracker today. The whole thing is bizarre.
thanks to you and Steve. This is all golden, and bang, the crew are all salaried. I didn't know that, but obviously there's a cumulatave year taken off work, and that's shooting for a ludicrous goal he's not possibly equipped to reach.
Total silence from the camp for over 14 hours, since he was rendered incapable of speech after yesterdays clean little scamper.
Aside from the watch/tracker data, he looks pretty bulky for someone who is ultrarunning. Especially that consistent effort over multiple days where eating enough is a struggle. He's either not doing it, a huge outlier genetically, or he's on a decent amount of drugs. (Or all three).
Herewith chief crew Balenger's statement this morning, heavily redacted to be allowed to post. Goodness what a pottymouth:
Life is complex and often hard to make sense of. That’s why endurance means so much to me. It reduces life down to its essence, and from there, great lessons can be learned. Yesterday it taught us yet again another one.
We have spent months planning, finding sponsors, training, and preparing for my brother, William Goodge’s run across the U.S.
Blood, sweat, and tears were laid at the feet of this effort before it even began, much less what has transpired since we left from Huntington Beach 17 days ago.
So when we started to get harassed by a skeptic trying to belittle William’s abilities before he even started and then quickly pivoted to the idea that we’re out here faking it, we all got pretty pi**ed.
Every day we wake to more messages from this troll. He then recruits a few others to join him in his skepticism. We continue to ride the “f*** you” energy.
Though the reality and lesson is this; anger and f*** you energy burns hot though it's short-lived and leaves you depleted. It’s not a sustainable fuel source. Especially when running across a continent.
So the crew has made a pact. We’re done giving their nonsensical arguments oxygen and pivoting our focus back to a more sustainable fuel source. One that gives to the world instead of depleting it. We’ll be operating from a place of love for the memory of his mom Mandy, and gratitude to all of you who have sent encouraging words and donated. That’s what matters, and that’s how we choose to move forward.
So as a closing message to those few who are trying to smear William and the crews' efforts, from the words of @davidgoggins, “You will never, never in life meet a hater doing better than you—ever.” 🖕🏼|✌🏼 - Robbie Balenger, Crew Chief (@robbiebalenger)
Aside from the watch/tracker data, he looks pretty bulky for someone who is ultrarunning. Especially that consistent effort over multiple days where eating enough is a struggle. He's either not doing it...
So as a closing message to those few who are trying to smear William and the crews' efforts, from the words of @davidgoggins, “You will never, never in life meet a hater doing better than you—ever.” 🖕🏼|✌🏼
- Robbie Balenger, Crew Chief (@robbiebalenger)
This tripe hardly needs rebutting but Owen Hind's 12 stage medal at the weekend is better than any running achievement this guy will ever manage
Herewith chief crew Balenger's statement this morning, heavily redacted to be allowed to post. Goodness what a pottymouth:
Life is complex and often hard to make sense of. That’s why endurance means so much to me. It reduces life down to its essence, and from there, great lessons can be learned. Yesterday it taught us yet again another one.
We have spent months planning, finding sponsors, training, and preparing for my brother, William Goodge’s run across the U.S.
Blood, sweat, and tears were laid at the feet of this effort before it even began, much less what has transpired since we left from Huntington Beach 17 days ago.
So when we started to get harassed by a skeptic trying to belittle William’s abilities before he even started and then quickly pivoted to the idea that we’re out here faking it, we all got pretty pi**ed.
Every day we wake to more messages from this troll. He then recruits a few others to join him in his skepticism. We continue to ride the “f*** you” energy.
Though the reality and lesson is this; anger and f*** you energy burns hot though it's short-lived and leaves you depleted. It’s not a sustainable fuel source. Especially when running across a continent.
So the crew has made a pact. We’re done giving their nonsensical arguments oxygen and pivoting our focus back to a more sustainable fuel source. One that gives to the world instead of depleting it. We’ll be operating from a place of love for the memory of his mom Mandy, and gratitude to all of you who have sent encouraging words and donated. That’s what matters, and that’s how we choose to move forward.
So as a closing message to those few who are trying to smear William and the crews' efforts, from the words of @davidgoggins, “You will never, never in life meet a hater doing better than you—ever.” 🖕🏼|✌🏼 - Robbie Balenger, Crew Chief (@robbiebalenger)
Okay, but that doesn't explain the pattern of getting up for his afternoon runs with completely different 'abilities' to what he had in the morning, or on any of his training runs.
The primary argument isn't nonsensical, it's actually extremely straight forward, and it hasn't been addressed at all.
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