Tom Goodhand - Athlete Ambassador
Have you always been into sport?
No, not at all. As a kid I enjoyed playing football with friends, but never as part of a team. Or with any real skill or aptitude. Let’s just say the reason I was a goalkeeper had nothing to do with agility or cat-like reflexes!
How did you first get into running?
I started running around 10 years ago after becoming a dad and wanting to shift a little weight, but only in the last 18 months or so has it changed from ‘something I do to keep fit’ to ‘something I actively love and plan my life around.’
If you are interested in getting into running, Sundried's kit is suitable for beginners as well as seasoned athletes. We have both men's and women's options available.
What has been your favourite race to date and why?
I’ve only ever run one race. It was a 10k around my home city of Leeds. A long time ago. It felt like a long way at the time. And I didn’t really like it. Running for me so far hasn’t been about racing, but focusing solely on myself, my surroundings and enjoying the run for what it is.
What is your proudest achievement?
No races means no ‘achievements’ in the material sense. This sounds naff, but what I’m proudest of is learning to love running and embracing it as a way to manage and sustain my mental health as well as physical.
Have you ever had any racing disasters?
No races = no disasters
How do you overcome setbacks?
Because my running isn’t competitive, I don’t really have setbacks. I have bad days - where my intervals are slower than I’d like, or make me feel like I want to throw up - but no real setbacks. I’ve also been fortunate enough to go from running casual 5ks to running a marathon with only one running injury to show for it.
What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?
You don’t need to go fast and get faster all the time.
What are your goals?
I don’t have grand goals. My goal is to keep running, and keep enjoying it, and through my running explore more beautiful places.
Who inspires you?
I’m not an ultrarunner (or not yet anyway...) but all the runners that inspire me are. Scott Jurek was the first to capture my imagination, and more recently Kilian Jornet and Damian Hall. The runners who’ve really connected with me have been those who’ve used their running to experience incredible trails and understood the intrinsic link between the sport and the environment and used their platform to raise awareness of environmental issues.
Why work with Sundried?
I started wearing Sundried stuff because my wife bought some. And I was jealous of my cheap running gear from a generic discounted sports store in comparison. When I got my first Sundried shirts the shift in quality was marked! Since discovering more about Sundried, it became about more than just quality, and instead about respecting a brand and a company with strong values and real sustainability credentials.
To hear more from our ambassadors and get free tips on workout plans and more, connect with the Sundried Personal Trainers on our app.
