So, during the off-season, the last thing on his mind was lacing up and racking up the mileage.
"Yeah, running was definitely not something I did out of choice," says the UK-based runner, model and business owner.
But dark tides rushed in like a tidal wave, sweeping up Goodge's preconceptions in a foam-snarled flood. His mother, after five years of battling fiercely with non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer, passed away. Goodge was just 23 at the time, "an interesting phase", he says. "You're old enough to take care of yourself, but mentally at least nowhere close to being able to process something like this."
He described his mom as his anchor, someone who-even in the last days of her life-faced each morning with a resolute certainty she was going to slay that unforgiving dragon known as cancer. And then, overnight, her unwavering support and no-nonsense guidance was stripped away. "I had the biggest white flag to wave," admits Goodge. "I had a free pass to basically fuck it all up. No one would begrudge me if I started drinking excessively, doing drugs... just to deal with it." But he'd watch his mom fight, he'd watch her do it three times as the cancer went into remission and then resurfaced. "When you watch someone close to you fighting for their life," he says. "There's no way you can throw your life away even for a brief period."
Whenever he's struggling on the road whether it's during his 55-day journey running across America or tackling a gruelling marathon at high altitudes-he goes back to this place in the aftermath of his mom's death.
Denne historien er fra January - February 2024-utgaven av Men's Health South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra January - February 2024-utgaven av Men's Health South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Last 7 Recipe You'll Ever Need
FADS COME AND GO. BUT GOOD EATING AND PROPER NUTRITION CHANGES VERY LITTLE. SO WE COMBED THROUGH ALL THE RECIPES IN MEN'S HEALTH'S 36-YEAR HISTORY TO FIND THE ONES THAT TRULY DELIVER ON BOTH FLAVOUR AND FUNCTION.
The Changing Face Of Cancer
While cancer rates are falling in older adults, they're increasing among younger age groups. It's a trend exposing holes in both diagnosis and care. It's also raised a new question for experts: how do you get vital and potentially life-saving information to people unaware they need it?
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 ADVENTURES
YOUR TIME OFF IS VALUABLE. TO BOOK YET ANOTHER FLY 'N' FLOP IS TO DO YOURSELF A DISSERVICE. THIS YEAR, BREAK FREE FROM THE POOLSIDE BAR AND GET YOUR KICKS IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS. FROM EXPEDITIONS IN FAR-FLUNG PLACES TO HIGH-OCTANE WEEKENDS CLOSER TO HOME, CONSIDER THESE YOUR FIRST STEPS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.
4 WAYS TO REBOOT YOUR MINDSET
STRESSED ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD AND/OR YOUR SANITY? WE'VE GOT FOUR SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO HELP YOU ADAPT AND OVERCOME, THIS YEAR AND BEYOND.
TRAIN TO YOUR MAX
Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the most important health markers when it comes to your overall wellbeing. Here's how Discovery Vitality Fitness gives you more ways than ever to fire up your engine.
SLUSH FUN
FROZEN DAIQUIRIS ARE REFRESHI AND ALSO SICKENINGLY SWEET. TRY A FROZEN PIMM'S CUP, WHICH HAS ALL THE FLAVOURS WITH WAY LESS SUGAR.
THE HEALTH SNOB'S GUIDE TO COLD-BREW COFFEE
BOTTLED COFFEE MIGHT BE ABUNDANT, BUT CAFFEINE AFICIONADOS MAKE THEIR OWN. FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO PREP A HEALTHY BREW FOR A REFRESHING PERK-ME-UP.
SUPP CHECK RECOVERY PACKAGE
COLLAGEN IS TOUTED AS THE GO-TO SUPP FOR BONE, SKIN AND JOINT HEALTH, PLUS FAST INJURY REPAIR. BUT DOES IT DELIVER? TIME TO GEN UP.
THE SEMI-COMPLETE USER'S GUIDE TO...THE SINUSES
FOR AS LONG AS sinuses have been around, aka forever, there has been a ton that scientists haven't figured out about them.
BULLISH
The Blue Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier is striving for greatness. Here's how he's putting in the right reps to make sure mind and muscle are firing in unison.