William Goodge’s Health & Fitness Brands To Know
NuCalm
For resetting the mind and body, it doesn’t get better than NuCalm. The world’s only patented technology that’s clinically proven to resolve stress, aid muscle recovery and improve sleep quality without drugs, it works in as little as ten minutes. It was originally built to help soldiers overcome PTSD. All you need is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones – the app sends two slightly different binary beats through each ear. These beats slow brain waves to the frequency of the first stages of sleep and put the body in a relaxed state. I try to do a 20-minute session every afternoon – it’s the best power nap you’ll ever have. When I come out of it, I feel so zen.
Visit NuCalm.com
Normatec Compression Boots
I use these every day. They reduce inflammation, get blood flowing and get toxins moving into the blood so you can filter out the bad stuff quickly. There are lots of compression boot brands out there, but Normatec is the original, most tested and most scientifically backed air compression system on the market. When I’m doing the race, I won’t be able to use them as conveniently throughout the day, but lying on the floor with your feet up against a wall for ten minutes can be effective, especially when it comes to reducing swelling.
Visit RecoverFit.co.uk
Whoop
My Whoop band knows me better than I know myself. It’s an excellent fitness tracker for those who want to train hard and know when to slow down. By tracking your heart rate (and your heart rate variability, aka HRV) it can help you hit the optimal balance between rest and workouts. Sometimes, I wake up feeling a bit jaded after a long run and I’ll look at my score and think, wow, how does it know? I used it for the Marathon des Sables and the 48:30 (when I ran 48 marathons in 30 days) – having so much tangible data is cool. Plus, when I’m running it’s a useful way to keep an eye on heart rate without wearing a chest strap, which can be constricting.
Visit Whoop.com
Satisfy
Satisfy is a very cool brand. Its hydration running belt is the perfect long-distance companion – it can carry 500ml of liquid in two separate bottles and has space for enough gels to keep you going in between hydration stations. Satisfy does great running gear, too, and it’s all ethically produced.
Visit SatisfyRunning.com
@satisfyrunning
Apple AirPods
My ears are a weird shape and in-ear headphones always fall out, apart from the new AirPods. Sometimes I like to use the noise cancellation mode so I can zone out and get into my own space. I don’t listen to music all the time when I’m running, but when I do, I’ll listen to anything and everything. My taste is eclectic – I’ll put it on shuffle and head out.
Visit Apple.com
Strava
When I’m travelling, the first thing I do when I land is throw on my trainers and head out for a run. Wherever I am in the world, it always recalibrates me. ‘Arrive and run’ is what I like to call it. The Strava app is great for finding local routes. Millions of people around the world use it, and this creates heat maps that show you the most popular running routes.
Visit Strava.com
@woodwaytreadmills
Woodway Treadmill
Treadmills have come on significantly in the last few years. I love the feel of a slatted belt treadmill like the Woodway. I’ll always prioritise running outdoors, but a treadmill can be useful, and I actually enjoy the repetitive nature of using one. I once ran a marathon round Battersea Park – 16.5 laps of the park. It sounds weird, but there was something reassuring about knowing exactly what each lap was going to look like, a little like a treadmill. The Woodway has less bounce and feels more realistic than old-school treadmills. Technogym treadmills get my vote, too.
Visit WoodwayTreadmills.co.uk
Trainers
I’m a trainer junkie. I use eight styles of running shoe in rotation and have at least two pairs of each. I’ll change my shoes throughout the day on the challenge itself to make sure the foot isn’t in the same position too long. Just a slight change in foot position can make all the difference and help with shin splints. I’ve run dozens of marathons in the Nike Invincible 3, and alternate these with the On Cloud Monster, which are stiff, reactive and great for high mileage. For speed work, I use the Nike Vapor Fly, which has a carbon footplate. I’m also a fan of the Hoka Bondi – I ran from John O’Groats to Lands End in them, they’re a great high mileage shoe.
Visit Nike.com, On-Running.com & Hoka.com
Hyperice
The Hyperice massage gun is a simple and very effective way to warm up the body before heading out for a run. It gets the blood flowing and I often switch up the heads to get into smaller areas like the hips and my calves, which are always tight. That and a few mobility drills, and I’m good to go.
Visit Hyperice.com
Equinox
I’ve been a member of Equinox for a few years. When I’m in London, I use the Bishopsgate studio but am also partial to a Precision Run class at St James’s. Strength work has been part of my routine forever – since my rugby days – and it’s arguably even more important when you’re running hundreds of miles. Strength work has given me more muscle mass, which creates more protection around the joints, so I don’t get injured. I might not look like a guy who runs hundreds of miles, but I rarely get injured. Running is very linear – it’s the same movement over and over, but if you have any weaknesses, like round the hips or knees, pain will come. Equinox is the place to train – they even hand out cold eucalyptus towels while you’re working out.
Visit Equinox.com
@nikerunning
Nike
As well as its trainers, I am obsessed with Nike’s Spark socks. They are tight around the foot and super lightweight. I also have 12 pairs of the AeroSwift shorts. I’d love to wear split shorts, but I chafe on my inner thighs, and the AeroSwifts are thicker than usual with a great lining so work well. When it comes to kit, I’ve been impressed by the quality of On’s gear. The Zero jacket is particularly good – it’s so lightweight. The new On flagship store on Regent Street is awesome. Each of the stairs as you go up gets progressively steeper, but only ever so slightly. It’s all about getting to your goals and accepting challenges along the way – I like how considered that is.
Visit Nike.com & On-Running.com
Puresport
CBD helps me settle. My mind has a habit of racing in the evening – the minute I hit the pillow my mind is whirring with great ideas like I’m about to take over the world. CBD has been a game-changer – it calms my thoughts and eases me into sleep. I take Puresport CBD oil half an hour before bed along with two capsules of Puresport Unwind, which contains Montmorency cherry. In the UK, you can’t buy melatonin – the sleep hormone – over the counter, but Montmorency cherry helps your brain to produce melatonin naturally. Reishi – a type of medicinal mushroom – is also great for sleep. In the first week I took reishi before bed, I noticed a real difference to the quality of my REM sleep. Cordyceps is also powerful stuff – it’s been proven to improve your VO2 max.
Visit Puresport.co
The Running Room
The physios at The Running Room are experts in treating running injuries. When I’m in London, I’ll book in for some TLC with Adrian twice a week. Shockwave therapy is very effective – it sounds like someone is taking a hammer to your bones, but it’s a great way to strengthen the bones and help with issues like shin splints.
Remedy Place
I love hot and cold therapy, but it’s tricky to find in London. Whenever I’m in LA or New York, I head to Remedy Place – it’s unreal, Drake goes there. It’s all about recovery: think infrared light sauna, acupuncture and cupping rooms, cryo chambers and, my favourite, hyperbaric chambers, which pump oxygen round the body so you recover like a beast. It sounds hardcore, but I’m into it. When I’m training for something as serious as this challenge, I have this switch in my brain that flicks. I can get obsessed with training and making sure I’m performing at my best. I’m ultra in every way.
Visit RemedyPlace.com
Maurten
I’d never got on well with gels but these are insane. They’re made with natural ingredients and zero preservatives, and are formulated in a way that won’t upset your stomach when you’re running. I recently did a sweat test which showed I lose a lot of salt when I exercise, so I’m mindful of keeping my stores topped up. On a long run, I’ll take a Maurten gel every 5k as well as salt sticks mixed in water, which I get on Amazon.
Visit Maurten.com
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