The Consistently Good Podcast

In this episode, Jeff sits down with BPN athlete Luke Hopkins: USC neuroscience grad, Ironman, and one of the toughest 23-year-olds he knows. They talk about going back to therapy after a broken ankle, feeling bad for feeling bad, why your brain quits before your body does, and why honesty isn't oversharing. 00:00 Meet Luke Hopkins 03:53 Connecticut to USC 06:29 Dad's Accident 09:52 Anxiet...

Jeff Cunningham kicks off Season 4 with what he'd do differently if he could start over as a runner.  He raced his workouts, ran too few miles, gray-zoned his easy runs, skipped the weight room, under-fueled, and didn't sleep enough.  Here's what almost 40 years of running and coaching finally taught him. So, don't make the same mistakes kids. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Season 4 kickoff 04:00...

Jeff is closing out Season 3 of the Consistently Good Podcast by taking on some of running’s most repeated clichés. From “no pain, no gain” to “run slow to run fast,” Jeff breaks down what’s actually useful, what can get runners into trouble, and why better training usually comes back to the same things: perspective, patience, and showing up consistently. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Running Clichés Are Everyw...

Coach is devoting a full episode to how runners can chase ambitious goals while respecting the realities of aging. In this episode, Jeff breaks down what actually changes as runners move into their 30s, 40s, and beyond: hormones, recovery, strength, mobility, injury risk, and bandwidth. You know, the fun stuff nobody worried about when their biggest responsibility was keeping a goldfish alive. CHA...

We are about 11-14 weeks out from some of the major marathons in the US.  Today, Coach is breaking down how to build a marathon training block for fall races like Chicago, New York, and Indianapolis. He covers periodization, weekly workouts, long runs, marathon-pace training, fueling, recovery, heat adjustments, and tapering.  Most importantly guys, he explains how to train consistently, build mil...

Coach revisits his disastrous first marathon to explain why race-day success depends on preparation, confidence, adaptability, and competitive integrity. He’s covering managing anxiety to trusting your training and adjusting to conditions, he shares how runners can execute when doubt arrives without turning every workout into the Olympic Trials. Here we go! CHAPTERS:00:00 Houston Marathon Wakeup C...

Coach Jeff Cunningham sits down with filmmaker and runner Eric Floberg to unpack the road from under 4 hours to 2:29 at Boston. They talk breakthrough races, brutal training blocks, creative burnout, family, online criticism, and why simplifying life helped Eric rebuild belief, enjoy the process, and finally put it all together. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:04 Marathon Journey Begins 06:21 Creative Roo...

This week, coach Jeff Cunningham discusses how people in life transitions can chase new passions without becoming “all consumed." He contrasts being productively "all in” for defined windows of time with letting a goal become an identity that causes neglect, anxiety, or spiraling when training or races go poorly, and warns about hyper-obsession with diet and clean eating. He argues balan...

Listen guys, when coach says he has some important things he wants to address, you hit record. Coach collected GPS data from over 100 Boston Marathon runners to settle the "course was long" debate once and for all — then he breaks down fartlek execution, why missing a workout doesn't ruin your race, and why trying to optimize everything might be the thing that's actually holding...

Coach is walking you through his complete race weekend blueprint which starts 48 hours out and going all the way through post-race recovery.  Diet, pacing discipline, the danger zone at miles 13–17, fueling strategy, race morning prep, and why the plan you made calmly before race week is still your best plan at the starting line. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Racing Is an Investment 4:12 48 Hours Out 7:13 Carb L...

Mailbag goes deep this week answering as many of your questions as possible in a reasonable time. Just call it another chapter in our seasonal Q&A episode! We're talking mileage sweet spots, post-marathon recovery timelines, race day anxiety, carbon plate strategy, Boston qualifying buffers, fueling ratios, and why most runners aren't overtraining at all. This one is technically for ev...

Jeff is covering the real science behind heat training vs. altitude training from EPO production and red blood cell growth to plasma volume and stroke volume. Now, that's a lot of science, but he makes it very approachable. That's a promise. Plus, he walks through the carbohydrate conundrum, sodium strategy, and why fasted heat training simply doesn't work. We know this. Train smarter...

In this episode, I break down what to do before your fall marathon block begins. We talk summer mileage, running economy, heat training, 5Ks, hill circuits, fartlek workouts, strength training, nutrition, and how to stay fit without showing up to marathon training already cooked, crispy, and emotionally unavailable. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 03:06 The Consistently Good Paradox 05:21 Why Fitness Disapp...

Jeff Cunningham kicks off Season 3 with the chase every marathoner knows. Breaking three hours. However, the goal here is to accomplish this uncommon feat without losing your mind, your legs, or your family’s respect. Too much? He breaks down the benchmarks, mileage, workouts, long runs, fueling, taper, and race-day decisions that make sub-3 elite but possible. Simple? Not exactly. Doable? With co...

In this episode, Jeff sits down with his wife, Angelique Cunningham, to talk about the journey from elite athlete to coach, and the mindset that shaped both. They unpack how she came to Baylor from the Netherlands, struggled through a humbling freshman season, then rebuilt her confidence to become an NCAA champion.  The focus of the conversation though is about surrendering to great coaching, bloc...

The Boston Marathon is ONE DAY AWAY. Going into this race, what should you know and be thinking about? This bonus answers that.  Become a BPN member FOR FREE - Unlock 25% off FOR LIFE ⁠ ⁠https://www.bareperformancenutrition.com/collections/performance-nutrition⁠ Bat City Track Club is an emerging national class and regionally elite team with a primary focus on distances 5,000m to the marathon. ⁠ht...

Jeff sits down with Allie Ostrander to unpack the highs, lows, and hard truths behind an elite running career. From national titles and Olympic Trials to injury, disordered eating, and recovery, Allie shares her story with honesty and grit. It’s a conversation about performance, pressure, and why proper fueling, recovery, and speaking up matter a whole lot more than internet opinions. CHAPTERS: 00...

Jeff Cunningham breaks down what to look for in a running coach and why the right one can change more than just your finish times. He explains how good coaching adds structure, accountability, perspective, and a little protection from your own bad ideas. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Why a Coach Matters 00:48 Coaching Is a Privilege 02:21 My Journey With Coaches 07:37 Why Even Pros Need Coaches 10:48 Finding th...

This week, Jeff has a little fun shining a light on the unhinged habits that somehow make perfect sense to runners. From mileage math and weather-app stalking to shoe geekery, bathroom panic, and battle-worn feet, it’s a playful reminder that most runners are a little weird and proud of it. Like we said...If you know, you know. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 01:49 Whole Number Obsession 03:56 Gadget Overlo...

Jeff Cunningham breaks down the patient, practical way to come back from injury, illness, and anemia without digging the hole deeper. He walks through soft-tissue vs. bone-stress injuries, return-to-run progressions, smart cross-training, and why the hardest part is usually not the rehab plan, it’s having the discipline to respect the process before fitness comes rushing back. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Why...

Coach gets into what running is doing for your brain beyond just helping you split faster miles. He unpacks why an easy run can feel oddly spiritual, how runner’s high actually works, and why movement can act like medicine for your mind. From endorphins and endocannabinoids to BDNF, brain inflammation, oxygen flow, memory, and mental health, Jeff explains how running can help regulate your nervous...

Let's do a full Q&A! Jeff Cunningham answers listener questions with practical, no-BS guidance for runners trying to make steady progress without frying themselves in the process. He covers off-season structure, long runs, half-marathon timing, fatigue, base building, heart rate, and sub-3 readiness.  Reminder athletes...Stay patient, keep the main thing the main thing, and not turn every...

Jeff breaks down why critical velocity training has been a cornerstone of his coaching for 25 years. How it builds speed, extends endurance, and improves performance without killing your legs. He explains the science, the practical application, and how to use it to run faster, farther, and more efficiently. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 01:53 How Jeff Found Critical Velocity by Accident 05:36 The Origin o...

Jeff Cunningham sits down with the man, the myth, the legend, Mitch Ammons to unpack stories of their years of relationship as a coach and athlete pair. They also are covering the marathon build that led to a 2:14:48 at CIM. Topics include volume, patience, pacing, adversity, and purpose, showing how consistent work, community, and resilience can shape performance, career, and character over time...

Jeff kicks off Season 2 by breaking down how you can run my fastest marathon by starting with an honest audit of injuries, health, and real-life bandwidth. He'll walk through D-I-V-N: Density, Intensity, Volume, and Non-running. Lastly, he covers fueling (carbs/sodium), sleep, strength work, and mindset to stay consistent and keep progressing. 00:00 Season 2 Kickoff 01:51 Episode Goal: How to...